Joint Statement by Leaders of Pacific Islands Forum, UN Secretary-General
Following is a joint statement by leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum and the United Nations Secretary-General:
The leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum and the Secretary-General of the United Nations met on 26 September 2014 on the margins of the sixty-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
They reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Charter and its principles.
At their meeting, the Secretary-General thanked Samoa for hosting the Third International Conference on Small Island Development States (SIDS), welcomed the Conference’s outcome document, the “Samoa Pathway”, and pledged the full support of the United Nations to its implementation.
The Secretary-General lauded Pacific Islands Forum countries for their leadership roles in the global climate change agenda, including at the Climate Summit held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 23 September 2014, and emphasized the strategic importance of the International Conference on Small Island Developing States and the Climate Summit in the lead-up to negotiations for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP) meetings in Lima, Peru, in 2014 and in Paris, France, in 2015.
The Secretary-General congratulated the Pacific Islands Forum leaders on the adoption of the Palau Declaration — The Ocean: Life and Future, Charting a Course to Sustainability, commended the launch of the Pacific Ocean Alliance and offered the support of the United Nations for this initiative.
The Secretary-General and Pacific Islands Forum leaders recalled their Joint Statements of 7 September 2011 and 26 September 2012 and reaffirmed the value of cooperation between the United Nations system and Pacific Islands Forum countries, supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, and its associated subregional institutions that promote the national and regional priorities identified by Pacific Islands Forum leaders. They reiterated their shared commitment to considering practical ways to further strengthen cooperation.
Pacific Islands Forum leaders acknowledged the valuable contribution made by the United Nations system in the Pacific region. They also commended the United Nations Secretary-General for his leadership in progressing small island developing States issues within the United Nations system and for initiating a global call to action at the 2014 Climate Summit.
Pacific Islands Forum leaders highlighted the endorsement of the Framework for Pacific Regionalism in July 2014 to deepen regional cooperation and integration among Pacific countries by enhancing the sharing of institutions, resources and markets to overcome constraints.
Pacific Islands Forum leaders advocated for the global endorsement of the sustainable management, conservation and protection of the world’s oceans as being fundamental to sustainable development in the post-2015 development agenda and further noted their strong support for a stand-alone sustainable development goal on oceans.
The Secretary-General valued the strong partnership between the organizations and acknowledged the key role played by the Pacific Islands Forum leaders and its members in promoting sustainable development, good governance and peace and security through regional cooperation in the Pacific. He expressed the United Nations’ commitment to collaborating with the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government in support of ongoing peacebuilding efforts.
The Secretary-General welcomed the adoption of the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration, as well as the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security on implementing Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security and subsequent resolutions. He also encouraged further efforts to boost women’s political participation and economic advancement and to eliminate all forms of violence against them.
The Secretary-General and Pacific Islands Forum leaders thanked the outgoing Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, for his leadership during his tenure.
The Secretary-General and Pacific Islands Forum leaders:
Welcomed the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action (Samoa Pathway) outcomes agreed at the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, noting in particular the importance to Pacific States of: outcomes on climate change; the conservation and sustainable management of oceans; coastal and fisheries resources; promotion of sustainable energy and transport; food and water security; disaster risk reduction and emergency relief and recovery; non-communicable diseases; and gender equality and women’s empowerment. They recognized the need to build appropriate capacities at the national level to ensure their full, timely and effective implementation. They also agreed that establishing an effective partnership framework to monitor the implementation of pledges and commitments and identifying new opportunities are key to the successful implementation of the Samoa Pathway.
Discussed key challenges facing the Pacific region and underlined the role of the United Nations system in assisting Pacific island countries to address these challenges; discussed ways of enhancing the United Nations system’s support for national and regional efforts in line with national and regional priorities and relevant international frameworks, including the Barbados Programme of Action, the Mauritius Strategy and the SAMOA Pathway, noting progress made through ongoing programmes and projects.
Reaffirmed their commitment to accelerate achieving the Millennium Development Goals in the Pacific by 2015, noting the need for the sustainable development goals to include the “unfinished business” of the Millennium Goals and to further align such goals and agreed actions through the post-2015 United Nations development agenda, expected to be included in the United Nations Secretary-General’s synthesis report.
Recognized the unique and particular vulnerabilities and development needs of small island developing States and the continuing need to increase their resilience. They emphasized the importance of ensuring that these vulnerabilities and needs are adequately reflected in discussions and decisions on the post-2015 United Nations development agenda, including agreement on sustainable development goals.
Acknowledged the central importance of the sustainable development, management and conservation of the region’s coastal and fisheries resources as a source of livelihoods and income for communities, industries and Governments.
Acknowledged the role of economic growth in sustainable development, the importance of sustainable financing for development, strengthened national planning systems and development coordination.
Stressed that climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the Pacific region, threatening the livelihoods, security and well-being of peoples in the Pacific, particularly those in low-lying atoll nations. They noted the Pacific region’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions and to lead by example through the 2013 Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership. They also welcomed the announcements made by Heads of State and partners during the Climate Summit, noted the support of the United Nations to Pacific negotiators and committed to building on the momentum from the recent small island developing States meeting through to Lima later in 2014 and onwards to Paris in 2015 towards a credible and legally binding outcome at the UNFCCC COP.
Underscored the importance of improved access to international climate finance as a key priority for Pacific Islands Forum countries, including through the Green Climate Fund. They noted that the alignment and integration of efforts on financing and development coordination should continue to be encouraged and strengthened among relevant stakeholders at all levels. They also called for United Nations partnerships in the Pacific to enhance the synergies among climate change adaptation, the development of renewable energy and building small island developing States’ resilience in the region and noted the agreement to create a Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage.
Recognized that maintaining peace and security and upholding human rights and the rule of law are essential to lasting progress in the Pacific and underscored the importance of strong partnerships and open dialogue at the global, regional and national levels in support of peacebuilding efforts. They further welcomed the peaceful elections in Fiji and their significance in advancing Fiji’s transition to democracy.
Reaffirmed their commitment to regular dialogue between the United Nations system and Pacific Islands Forum members at all levels, including between Pacific Islands Forum leaders and the United Nations Secretary-General on the margins of the General Assembly, and agreed to meet again by 2016.