Apia, SAMOA – The Government of Tokelau, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched the Tokelau Blue Economy Roadmap and Action Plan 2025-2030, marking a significant milestone in advancing sustainable ocean management and building a resilient blue economy for the country.

The roadmap was developed under the United Nations (UN) Joint Programme on Accelerating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement in Tokelau, funded by the Joint SDG Fund.

It integrates data, traditional knowledge, and strategic initiatives to ensure responsible stewardship of Tokelau’s marine resources. The initiative brings together a number of UN agencies: UNICEF – the Children’s Fund, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and UNDP, in an effort focused on inclusive, gender-responsive, and sustainable policy solutions for Tokelau.

“Tokelau has much more water than land mass. Our water is our livelihood, not only for daily subsistence but also for economic contributions, so we are always on the lookout for how we can maximise what we have to sustain life in Tokelau. This Blue Economy Roadmap and Action Plan acknowledges our uniqueness, our remoteness, and isolation, but also highlights our limited local infrastructure and resources and our lack of legal frameworks which heighten our economic vulnerability,” said Hon. Alapati Tavite, Ulu-o-Tokelau.

The roadmap is the culmination of a comprehensive process that started with an initial workshop held in Apia in September 2023, which engaged the Tokelau Government, community representatives, and other stakeholders. Conservation International (CI), contracted by UNDP, guided the development of the Blue Economy Roadmap using the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation, a participatory, adaptive management framework successfully applied in similar projects across the Pacific, such as the Samoa Ocean Strategy.

“UNDP recognise that the Blue Economy is critical for achieving the SDGs, particularly for Small Island Developing States like Tokelau, where the ocean is not only a source of livelihood but also a cornerstone of cultural identity and ecological health,” said UNDP Resident Representative, Aliona Niculita.

A joint UNDP-CI mission to Tokelau took place in November 2023, allowing UNDP and CI to directly engage with Tokelau’s communities and government, ensuring that the Blue Economy Roadmap aligns with national priorities, local values, and broader sustainable development goals.

The roadmap sets goals such as sustainably managing Tokelau’s 12-nautical mile zone, increasing community participation in ocean management, and ensuring food security and economic stability.

As Tokelau embarks on the implementation phase, the Blue Economy Roadmap and Action Plan 2025-2030 stands as a vital tool for sustainable resource management and an example of resilient blue economy planning within the Pacific region.

-ENDS-

For media queries, please contact: 
Ake Puka-Mauga, Senior Policy Advisor, Government of Tokelau, ake.puka-mauga@tokelau.org.nz   
Leilani Duffy-Iosefa, Ocean Director, Conservation International Samoa Office, Tel: +685 21593, lduffy-iosefa@conservation.org, www.conservation.org/samoa 
Laufālē’ainā Lesā, Communications Analyst, UNDP Multi Country Office, Samoa | Tel. +685 23670 | E: laufaleaina.lesa@undp.org | www.ws.undp.org