Unexploded ordnance includes conventional munitions containing explosives, such as bombs, grenades, artillery rounds and small arms and light weapons ammunition.
The Forum Secretariat’s regional security adviser Ioane Alama said during World War II, Pacific islands were the site of several large scale battles.
Alama said although the hostilities concluded 60 years ago, large quantities of ordnance was shipped into the Pacific remain scattered throughout the islands and continue to remain a significant safety and health issue.
“The issue of unexploded ordnance remains a human security problem for many of our members. Unexploded ordnance remains a threat to public health and safety, a threat to the environment and poses a serious obstacle to development,” Alama said.
Unexploded ordnance has been found in several locations in Fiji’s highlands as the country was a major base for U.S. forces during the war.
The Pacific Islands Forum Report for June said the survey was carried out in response to concerns expressed by Forum member countries at the Forum Regional Security Committee meeting held in Fiji last year.
