Ocean finance is a growing term associated with fostering a sustainable and resilient blue economy with sound financial investments. A growing number of countries in the Pacific region are turning to conserving their oceans through legislated marine protected areas within their Economic Exclusive Zones, in exchange for a Sustainable Financial Mechanism (SFM) being established to support its conservation. The Bezos Earth Fund pledged $100 million in grants to Pacific countries aiming at protecting one billion hectares of ocean territory throughout the Pacific Ocean. This conservation shift is aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent at the regional level, and the Marae Moana Act 2017 at the national level.
To capitalise on these discussions, a Cook Islands delegation attended the Pacific Ocean Finance Exchange in Suva, Fiji, from 3 to 5 March 2026. Halatoa Fua from the National Environment Service, Maria Tuoro from Marae Moana, and Eileen Story from the Ministry of Finance & Economic Management, represented the Cook Islands. The Exchange was attended by over 150 Government Officials, ocean finance experts, regional and international partners, philanthropic leaders, and civil society organisations.
The Exchange allowed participants to discuss gaps and challenges in mobilising sustainable ocean finance, share lessons learned from existing ocean finance models in the Pacific, and identify practical mechanisms to strengthen ocean finance access and delivery to communities. Nicola Thomson from the Bezos Earth Fund stated in her opening remarks “Pacific leaders have charted an ambitious course for ocean protection. Our role as the funding community is to support that vision with the kind of long-term, reliable financing that turns commitments into lasting results. We welcome opportunities like the Pacific Ocean Finance Week to collaborate with Pacific Regional Organizations, governments, and other funders to align philanthropic and public finance behind Pacific-designed solutions that protect the world’s largest blue lung while strengthening resilience and livelihoods across the region.”
Many successful initiatives in the Pacific were featured at the Exchange. The Niue and Ocean Wide Trust (“NOW Trust”) protects 40% of Niue’s EEZ or 129,000 square meters known as the Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area, which raised almost half of its US$32 million target. Niue raised its fund from the US$4million allocation under the Bezos Earth Fund, philanthropists, international Governments, and its local community. Other examples featured the Micronesia Conservation Fund, Palau National Marine Sanctuary, Sovereign Blue Bonds in Fiji, and many others.
The Exchange identified many funding sources such as philanthropy and private investors, financing instruments such as debt for nature swap and parametric insurance, and financing vehicles such as Conservation Trust Funds and blended finance. Halatoa Fua, NES Director, stated ‘the Cook Islands will explore opportunities, such as the Bezos Earth Fund, to support the work carried out by Marae Moana on the national Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) for the Cook Islands, operationalise of the national MSP, designate Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and establish a blended ocean finance mechanism for the Cook Islands. This is an exciting chapter of implementing the Marae Moana Act 2017 to fulfil its duties and responsibilities
