Fiame Naomi Mata'afa told the 76th UN General Assembly in New York that there was no greater challenge facing the global community than climate change - including its effects on ocean health.
Fiame said protecting the marine environment was a priority for Pacific nations, whose leaders invariably highlighted the climate crisis in their UNGA speeches.
"The ocean surrounds, protects and provides for us ocean states. It is core to our Pacific way of life, tied explicitly to our need for climate actions in our custodianship of the world's oceans," Fiame said.
