The ocean is critical to the lives and livelihoods of Pacific people, and Pacific Island countries manage more than 10% of the earth’s oceans. This set of 13 papers examines what maritime security means in the Pacific Islands region, what maritime security mechanisms exist and what forms of assistance partners are providing in the region.

On 3 April 2019, the people of Solomon Islands will go to the polls to elect their representatives in the national parliament for the next four years, but the outcome of the 2019 national election will not change the core challenges facing Solomon Islands.

Overview This discussion paper results from a speech prepared for the keynote address at the 2016 State of the Pacific Conference, held at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Australia, 13–15 September. In it Dr Aqorau discusses the state of regional cooperative affairs in the Pacific Islands, particularly with respect to fisheries, through his...