Fiji, July 7 -- Pacific Elders have warned that growing geopolitical competition is reshaping the region and have called for Pacific security to remain firmly under the control of Pacific leaders, saying regional institutions must protect sovereignty, transparency and equal decision-making.

The Pacific Elders said peace in the region is broader than the absence of conflict.

"Pacific peace has never meant simply the absence of conflict. It is the presence of justice, dignity, respect and balance. It is the protection of our people, our ocean, our cultures and the inheritance we leave to future generations.

For Pacific peoples, peace is inseparable from sovereignty, stewardship, climate justice and our collective responsibility to one an...