📋 Tender Overview
September 1, 2026
Today, in Palau, at the Pacific Islands Forum
Multimedia gallery
The minister reaffirms Spain's commitment to the Pacific countries and to the priorities agreed upon by the region
It also highlights the leadership of the Pacific in the protection of marine resources and in the international response to climate change.
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, today defended international law and multilateralism as essential tools to address global challenges, during his speech at the 55th meeting of leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), held in Palau. In an increasingly complex international scenario, Planas has defended the need to preserve an international order based on rules and to strengthen cooperation between countries.
The minister has reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of Spain to the Pacific countries and its willingness to continue deepening a relationship based on these principles and support for the priorities defined by the region itself.
Planas has also highlighted the role of the Pacific countries as “large oceanic states of the Pacific, custodians of one of the largest maritime extensions on the planet and fundamental actors for the governance of the oceans.” He has especially highlighted his leadership in the protection of marine resources and in the international response to climate change.
As a maritime country with important island territories in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, Spain shares many of the realities and challenges faced by Pacific societies. "The ocean does not separate us; it connects us and defines our identity," said the minister.
COOPERATION ALIGNED WITH PACIFIC PRIORITIES
In the face of growing international competition for resources, Planas has stressed that Spain wants to ensure that its cooperation responds to the priorities defined by the Pacific countries themselves.
In this sense, Spain supports the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, fully aligned with Spain's new Strategy for Asia-Pacific 2026-2029.
The minister has also highlighted the increase in Spanish Official Development Assistance (ODA), which in 2025 grew by 13%, reaching $5.1 billion. Spain thus positioned itself as the second country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that increased its aid the most that year.
In the Pacific, this cooperation is aimed at areas such as adaptation to climate change and protection of the oceans. Planas has particularly highlighted the Pacific Resilience Facility, a mechanism promoted by the countries of the region to strengthen their capacity to respond to natural disasters and the effects of climate change, and has recognized the leadership of the Pacific countries to maintain international ambition in the face of this challenge.
During the forum, Luis Planas met with members from several Pacific states to whom he conveyed the Spanish Government's will to fight climate change and adopt measures to mitigate its effects, above all, to guarantee food security and promote the blue economy.
Documents
09.26.01 L Planas Pacific Forum
