YouSaid · the spoken record

Josaia V. Bainimarama

lines on the record: 121
first: 2007-09-24
most recent: 2013-09-24
sittings or episodes: 6
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“My Government is committed to upholding the principles and values enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations conventions. We are resolutely committed to the elimination of all policies and laws that are inconsistent with our international obligations. We wish to create a new and brighter future for our people based on equality, dignity and respect. We seek the understanding of the General Assembly and the community of nations, as well as their support in fulfilling our dreams.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Understandably, decisions and positions are based on national self-interests, which, in most cases, take priority over the principles of equity and responsibility. Those are the differences that have given rise to the challenges that we currently face as an international community in arriving at a binding international agreement that responds to the current most fundamental need of the world: its survival. Fiji hopes that political goodwill and compromise will be found on the road to Copenhagen and that the necessary platform will soon be found for a fair, effective and ambitious climate change regime that ensures significant reductions in carbon emissions and the creation of a financial regime that supports the adaptation and mitigation needs of every country, particularly the most vulnerable ones.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I wish to emphasize that, realistically, that is the minimum reduction level that will allow us to address the devastating impacts of climate change that we currently face. To fail to meet those targets would be to make the probability of risk astoundingly high for the most vulnerable. To negotiate on those targets would mean negotiating on the lives of millions. The inequity that exists in terms of the extent of our vulnerabilities and abilities to meet mitigating costs vis-à-vis our contributions to climate change has divided our views and weakened our collective strength to deal with this global issue. Those inequitable circumstances are further complicated by the conflicting political and economic interests of States.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“No small island State can 7 09-52592 survive the future by merely mitigating the impacts of climate change. Adaptation and mitigation are not enough. We can halt the impact of climate change and ensure the survival of island States only by significantly reducing carbon emissions. It is on the basis of that premise that Fiji, as one of the States that are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, calls on all nations — in particular the major emitters — to be responsible and commit themselves to the carbon emission reduction targets of approximately 45 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020 and 85 per cent by 2050, with a global atmosphere concentration of less than 350 parts per million; and, further, to limit temperature increases to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level by 2020.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Fiji is thankful to the general membership of the Assembly for adopting, at its previous session, a resolution promoted by small island developing States linking the threat of climate change to security. Some of Fiji’s closest neighbours live on the lowest-lying atolls in the world. The rise in sea level brought about by climate change threatens literally to drown them. Why should they be forced to abandon their homeland for no fault of their own? All human beings have the right to live in their ancestral homeland, if they so choose. It is vital to understand that no measure of financial assistance can resurrect what has submerged, generate rain to end drought, reverse the effects of natural disasters or replace what has been lost as a result of climate change.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Like most small island nations, Fiji regards the threat posed by climate change as one that will undermine international peace and security. The lives of real people from real places are at stake. The future survival of real generations, the continuation of real cultures and the security of belonging to a real homeland are being threatened. The adverse impacts of climate change will be politically blind; its devastating effects on humanity will far outweigh any ideology or system of belief devised by man. The potential casualties resulting from its impacts could be far greater than those caused by any of the battles we have ever fought. Yet the ability to reverse its onslaught is well within our collective control.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Fiji has been disappointed by what appears to be a unilateral decision on the part of the United Nations to debar our country from any new peacekeeping operations. To this day, we have not been able to receive a clear and satisfactory reply from the Organization on this matter. I express the hope that the United Nations will deal equitably and fairly with troop-contributing countries. Our experiences as a member of the United Nations, particularly in the area of peacekeeping, will be strengthened and enhanced by our People’s Charter and the road map to the elections. Those documents aptly demonstrate the positive values of genuine dialogue and engagement. We believe that, if we are to achieve genuine peace, security and development in our country, we must build on a foundation of patience and respect for all views.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We respect the right of anyone who disagrees with us to exercise their freedom. However, that does not give them the right to interfere with our efforts to build a better country for our people. In addition to all of this, they have used their extensive diplomatic and financial resources to deny Fiji the ability to participate in new peacekeeping operations. Fiji has participated in peacekeeping operations since 1978 and is proud of its association with the United Nations, in particular with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Indeed, the Fiji Military Forces, since the beginning of their participation in peacekeeping, have established a reputation for professionalism, skill and rapport with the communities in their areas of operation.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I thank those of our friends who have had continued dialogue with me and my Government and who have helped us to achieve what they themselves now take for granted. I thank Fiji’s friends for their respect and understanding even when we agree to differ on some issues. If there is to be genuine dialogue at both the regional and the international levels, there must be a willingness to listen and to respect a different point of view. To those nations that have refused to engage with Fiji and have expressed an unwillingness to enter into dialogue, I can only repeat my plea that they change their stance. Fiji is a small nation. Our people pose no threat to anyone, least of all to the big Powers of the South Pacific that have arrogated to themselves the right to dictate to us our future and the way we govern ourselves.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Our own experience should have provided some indication, if 09-52592 6 one is needed, of how difficult it has been for us to achieve true, genuine and sustainable democracy. Many of the nations represented in this Hall today have experienced the traumas of nation-building. It would not be out of place to reflect on what President Obama said during his address to the General Assembly on Wednesday, 23 September: “Democracy cannot be imposed on any nation from the outside. Each society must search for its own path, and no path is perfect. Each country will pursue a path rooted in the culture of its people and in its past traditions.” () We thoroughly endorse such sentiments. Our dream is for equality, for justice and for security. Our dream is for dignity and for economic well-being. Our dream is for true democracy.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I ask for patience and understanding, particularly from our neighbours, who have shown a surprising lack of understanding and disregard of the peculiar situation which our country has experienced since independence. Put another way, there is an almost blind faith that once independence has been granted to those who were under colonial rule and the machinery of democracy begins to work, the country concerned will enjoy smooth sailing. Nothing could be further from the truth. I invite the international community to engage with us, to visit our country to see the situation, and to provide practical support and assistance to enable us to implement the reforms. History is replete with the struggles of people the world over for self-determination in order to be free from subjugation and foreign domination.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Our infrastructure, our judicial system and our systems of accountability have all remained underdeveloped and unproductive. Many of our finest brains have left the country because they could see no future in a country governed by ethno-nationalism, corruption and greed. In order to ensure that democracy has a real chance of survival in Fiji’s future, serious and principled reforms must be implemented to build roads, institutions and values. Together with infrastructure, the hearts and minds of our people must adopt and cherish true democracy. The way of the old elite must never triumph again. There must be reforms before elections to ensure that democracy is sustainable for Fiji’s long-term future. The people of Fiji deserve better than the short-term band-aid solutions we have experienced over the past decades.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Fiji has a colonial history that has created many anomalies and inequalities and whose legacy resonates today. Consequently and due also to the politicians, our post-colonial period has been punctuated by political instability. On each occasion that a new Government has been voted into power, the old elite which benefited financially from the previous established Government has been able to successfully destabilize the Government and to replace it with its own supporters and representatives. This was possible only because those institutions of the State that were supposed to protect democracy and democratic values instead colluded with the elite to destabilize and replace the new Government. And that is not all. Fiji has suffered more than 20 years of mismanagement, corruption and nepotism.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Work on the new constitution will involve consultations with all the ordinary citizens of our country, as well as with civil society. Consultations will focus on issues such as the size of the new parliament, the sustainability of a bicameral system, the terms of office of Government, and systems of accountability of Government to the people. The new constitution will implement reforms and the results of extensive consultations and will be in place by September 2013. This will give the people of Fiji a year to become familiar with its provisions before the elections take place in September 2014. There have been critics of this timeline. These critics have asked why work on the new constitution will not commence before September 2012. The answer is very simple, at least to those who know and understand Fiji’s history.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“My Government and I were mandated to carry out and to continue the reforms, which will ensure that true, democratic, non-communal and equal suffrage-based elections for parliamentary representation will be held by September 2014. A road map to implement this mandate was announced on 1 July of this year. Together with stringent steps to protect our economy from the effects of the world economic crisis, work will commence on a new constitution by September 2012. The basis for the new constitution will be the ideals and principles formulated by the People’s Charter for Change and Progress, a document prepared following widespread consultations with and input from the people of Fiji. The People’s Charter was adopted by the President after the endorsement of the majority of the people of Fiji.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We embraced our independence full of enthusiasm, excited by the prospect of deciding our own future and believing that our community as a whole would work 5 09-52592 together to achieve a better life for all of our people. Our path has not been smooth or easy. The President of Fiji abrogated the Constitution on 10 April this year. He took this step when a Court of Appeal ruling created a legal vacuum — a constitutional anomaly which would have also prevented implementation of the reforms which were mandated by him in order to achieve a truly democratic State. On 1 July of this year, I announced a road map to lead Fiji to a new constitution and elections based on equality, equal suffrage, human rights, justice, transparency, modernity and true democratic ideals.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“There have been critics of the events in Fiji since December 2006, when the military, with great reluctance, was forced to remove the then Government of Fiji. I believe that these critics are largely unaware of the extent to which politicians, in league with those who employ terror as a tactic to push racial supremacy and a corrupt agenda, had become a threat to the safety and security of our people. Terrorism has become a global issue and it impacts Fiji as well. We are fully cooperating in the international effort to control and contain this scourge. Next year on 10 October, Fiji will celebrate the fortieth year of its independence and the fortieth anniversary of its membership in the United Nations.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Fiji and its people, like all small developing island States, are among the first victims of contemporary global crises, such as the financial and economic crisis, the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and, most dramatic of all, the phenomenon of climate change. In small economies like ours, those global events have a very real effect on the daily livelihoods of our people. For our part, we have attempted to respond to some of those crises by making policy changes and adjustments, encouraging our people to grow their own food and discouraging food imports wherever possible. Over the past two years, the size of our public service has been rationalized. We have maintained a very streamlined Cabinet structure and significantly controlled Government operational costs.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I extend our warm greetings to the President and to this Assembly. I congratulate him on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at this sixty-fourth session. I pay tribute to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, for presiding over the sixty-third session with great sensitivity and for bringing a human face to our work. The sixty-fourth session of the General Assembly will address important contemporary issues of interest to all Member nations. Such issues include seeking out effective responses to global crises and strengthening multilateralism and dialogue on international peace, security and development. Those issues are indeed of critical importance to my own country, a small island developing State that has been enriched by its membership of and participation in the United Nations.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“All we seek from the United Nations is its understanding of our particular circumstances and the complex situation of Fiji. We invite the Organization to work with us to assist us to rebuild our country and move it forward.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“My Government’s task now is to persuade those opponents to come aboard, to join and to contribute. We hope to and must achieve consensus. At this particular juncture in the history of our nation, leadership is more about how we can seize the present historic opportunity to manage the transition from the interim Government to a truly democratic Government and nation consisting of various ethnic communities but which is one nation with its people in unity in the true spirit in which the United Nations was established. In conclusion, I reaffirm Fiji’s commitment to the United Nations and to the various United Nations conventions on human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance. We do not seek any special exemptions from our obligations under those conventions.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“After taking into account the feedback from our nation-wide consultations, the draft peoples charter will be amended as necessary and appropriate before it is finalized. It will then be adopted as a vision statement that identifies our core problems and the solutions recommended through the nation-wide consultation process. It is incumbent upon me and my Government to build consensus on the peoples charter as the common principles on which we should rebuild our nation. The peoples charter will present a considered way forward for Fiji. We are not obliged to abandon the enormous and important work being achieved through an extensive participatory and consultative process just because some people remain opposed and have decided not to participate.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It is through that forum that we hope to reach consensus and introduce the reforms through legal and constitutional means. Again, I say with emphasis, the timeframe to achieve all that is not dependent upon me or the interim Government; it is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders. In May of this year, Fiji sought assistance from the Commonwealth and the United Nations to facilitate, as a priority and with urgency, the President’s proposed political dialogue forum. We had hoped that the forum, which would initially focus on electoral reform, would have been convened by now. Little progress has been made, and we are concerned about the delay. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our request to the United Nations and the Commonwealth to help us urgently in that regard.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“That is due to work still in progress to agree on a democratic electoral system that is acceptable to the people of Fiji and that all political stakeholders can agree to through political dialogue. We believe that the general election must be held as soon as possible. That will be done only after we have achieved broad consensus in Fiji on a non-racial and truly democratic electoral system, and agreed on a constitutional and legal way to introduce the changes. It is necessary to change our current electoral system because it is undemocratic and does not provide for free and fair elections. It contravenes the principle of equal suffrage as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To achieve that, the President of Fiji has proposed that a political dialogue forum be convened as a mechanism independent of the national council.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We are not able to schedule an election to return Fiji to parliamentary democracy in the early part of 2009, as earlier anticipated. We realize that that has caused concern to some of our own people in Fiji, to countries of the region and to some of our development partners. The stance taken by the international community with regard to the delay in convening the election, however, has given much ammunition to our opponents within Fiji. They have used it to vilify us despite the progress that we are making towards just and sustainable solutions to our fundamental problems. 08-52265 28 I have already explained to Fiji’s people the need to delay the election. I wish to inform our regional partners and the international community represented here today that the interim Government cannot convene an election by March 2009.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We have openly embraced and allowed various missions sent by regional and international bodies such as the Pacific Islands Forum, the European Union, the United Nations and the Commonwealth secretariat. We extended to all of them our fullest support and cooperation in terms of engagement, in arranging appointments and in making available to them whatever information they needed. That demonstrates that we are keen to engage constructively in dialogue with whoever is interested in helping move our country forward. Following the recent Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Niue, I wrote last week to the Forum Chair and indicated that the interim Fiji Government is prepared to re-engage with the Forum Joint Working Group and that we are prepared to welcome a visit, before December 2008, by the Forum’s Ministerial Contact Group.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Those sanctions have had significant adverse effects on our economy, as well as on the functioning of our key State institutions, on which we rely to promote good governance and accountability. Pressure has been exerted on regional and multilateral agencies not to extend to Fiji much-needed financial, development and technical assistance. As a result, we have not been able to make as much progress as we should have. We cannot travel and engage in discussions at important regional and international meetings abroad. That is despite the fact that Fiji has made every effort to engage in dialogue with our bilateral partners and the international community in a constructive and transparent manner.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“To remove the coup culture and to commit to democratic and just governance and the rule of law, it is imperative that policies that promote racial supremacy and that further the interests of self-seeking political, religious and traditional elites are removed once and for all. In good faith, I anticipated that the international community would rally behind and extend support for such goals to help move Fiji forward. Regrettably, so far that has not happened. To the contrary, since December 2006 punitive measures have continued to be taken against Fiji. Travel sanctions continue, which are being imposed in particular by Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Those are applied to interim Government ministers, senior civil servants, military personnel and statutory board appointees.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In 2000, in quelling the civilian-led coup, as Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, I played a pivotal role in the handing of political power to a civilian Government. Through the People’s Charter Initiative, I am seeking to empower the people of Fiji at large and to find just and sustainable solutions to our deep-rooted and persistent problems. I wish to assure the international community that I am personally deeply committed to breaking the cycle of coups. Equally important, I am committed to breaking the cycle of bad and unjust governance that Fiji has suffered since May 1987.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I also sought constructive dialogue and engagement with the international community and with all our bilateral and multilateral development partners. I urged the international community to support us in addressing Fiji’s fundamental problems. I am asking the international community today not to focus only on the removal of a Government. That has already been done exhaustively. We have been subjected to harsh international measures, which we accepted. We have endured those through the suffering of our people. The coups of 1987 and 2000 were executed in the interests of a few and based on ethno- nationalism, racism and greed. The events of 5 December 2006 were not for any such extremist motivation.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Even though the people’s charter process has been undertaken by the national council at arm’s length from the interim Government, there are those who oppose it simply 27 08-52265 because it is an initiative of the interim Government. What they recognize, but choose not to admit, is that the people’s charter process is a real threat to their positions of vested power and privilege. When I addressed the Assembly last year, I pleaded for the support of the international community to help us in the wake of all the political and economic turbulence that Fiji has experienced since 1987. I pleaded for support to develop a political and governance framework that is truly democratic, accountable, inclusive, equitable and non-racial, and which will seek to unify Fiji’s diverse communities as a nation.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“From the outset, after being appointed as head of the interim Government, I have felt that it was my duty to go to the people of Fiji in the most basic and democratic sense, that is, to consult, to actively involve our people, and to put real people’s democracy to work, house to house, in each settlement and village and in towns and cities right across the country. Through the People’s Charter Initiative, that is what we have been doing. There are some, both in Fiji and outside, who are cynical in that regard. I am able to understand that, and not only because such a process has never ever been tried before. It is indeed a most challenging and difficult process to undertake.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We can ill afford to carry on with business as usual and in ways that continue to fragment and divide our nation. In that context, the process of drafting the people’s charter has been a unique and unprecedented one — a nation-wide participatory and consultative process of a scale and type never before attempted in Fiji. The whole process is one of empowerment the likes of which the people of Fiji have never experienced before. Too often in national governance — and this applies to so-called democracies — it is the professional politicians who do the thinking for the people. While the cries and voices of the people are often heard, however, they are just as easily ignored by the elected representatives and so- called leaders.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The overarching objective of the people’s charter is to rebuild Fiji into a non-racial, culturally vibrant, united, well-governed and truly democratic nation — a nation that seeks progress and prosperity. The vision for rebuilding Fiji that underpins that overarching objective is guided by a number of key principles, such as creating a just and fair society; achieving unity and national identity; ensuring merit-based equality of opportunity for all citizens; transparent and accountable Government; uplifting the disadvantaged in all communities; and mainstreaming our indigenous people, the i-Taukei, in a modern and progressive Fiji. We embarked upon the very bold programme of drafting a people’s charter advisedly and for some very compelling reasons.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Some, in particular those organizations that remain vigorously opposed to the interim Government, chose not to accept the invitation of the President of Fiji. They wilfully persistently rejected the call to engage in constructive dialogue and to work towards a broad consensus on the way forward for Fiji. Last year, when I addressed the Assembly, I briefly mentioned our preparations to launch the Peoples Charter Initiative. I said then that through this initiative the broad cross section of Fiji’s people would be fully engaged and involved through consultation and participation in developing a comprehensive action agenda, and that that would be Fiji’s own way of addressing its problems. Today, I am pleased to inform the Assembly that very considerable progress has been achieved on the Peoples Charter Initiative.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“My country, Fiji, faces deep-rooted and very fundamental problems that are both complex and structural. My Government therefore recommended to the President of Fiji that he set up a broadly representative and independent consultative body to reach out to the people of Fiji and to get them actively involved in charting the way forward for Fiji. In late 2007, the President of Fiji established a 45-member national council for building a better Fiji and officially launched what is now known as the Peoples Charter Initiative. The President invited the leaders of all major political, social, community, business and religious organizations in the country to join the national council and to contribute to formulating a people’s charter for change, peace and progress.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In January of last year, the interim Government embarked on a comprehensive examination of our political, economic, social and governance problems. We did that to identify what contributed to the abysmal record of successive Governments since May 1987, and also to find durable and just solutions. Early in that undertaking, my Government decided to reach out to the people of Fiji to ensure that they became better aware of Fiji’s problems and that they all became part of the solutions going forward. We did that while being mindful of the larger issue of mandate that the events of December 2006 raised. For my part, I took the view that the interim Government must not pretend that it had the capacity or the wisdom to solve our country’s problems entirely on its own.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“To date, my Government, which remains in effective control of governance in Fiji, has done everything within its power to adhere to the current Constitution. We recognize that that is the supreme law of our nation. At the same time, we have also come to recognize that the very foundation on which we have sought to build our nation has been shaky and weak. Therefore, our efforts must now focus on re-laying a more solid foundation to return Fiji to sustainable democratic governance. Our island nation must be rebuilt on the solid rock-like foundations of equal 08-52265 26 rights, social justice, democracy and good governance. We cannot and must not repeat the mistake of trying to rebuild again on the proven proverbial foundation of sand, which is washed away by the evils of self- interest, incompetence, intolerance and greed.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Our people’s dream of a tolerant, united and prosperous nation was replaced by a different reality — a reality characterized by political instability, economic stagnation, increasing religious and racial intolerance, ethno-nationalism and politics based on ethno-nationalism, a rise in crime, violence and corruption, increased poverty and the emigration of many of our talented, skilled and experienced citizens. On 5 December 2006, a political transition took place in Fiji following an intervention from the Fiji Military Forces. Interim measures were put in place by the President to ensure good governance, maintain law and order and stabilize the economy. The President of Fiji subsequently appointed an interim Government, which I head. The legality of those actions has been challenged and the matter is now before the courts of Fiji.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Our country then was seen as having great promise and potential. Our people, with high hopes, placed their faith on our country’s leaders to build a new nation that would be peaceful, stable, culturally vibrant, tolerant and prosperous. We felt then that by being part of the international family of nations Fiji could demonstrate by example the way the world should be. For just over 15 years following independence, we achieved some progress. However, following the coups of 1987 and 2000, the rot set in. Since then, Fiji’s overall political, economic and social situation has continued to deteriorate.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Yet despite that, the relationship between Fiji and DPKO has been under strain. That is because of Fiji’s military’s involvement in our Government since December 2006. We are, however, encouraged by the ongoing discussion between officials of our Permanent Mission and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. It would be less than honest of me if I did not observe that undue external influence appears to have been brought to bear to exclude Fiji from participation in new peacekeeping missions. I express the hope that the opportunity will be extended to us to participate in new peacekeeping missions. Please allow me to now address this body on Fiji’s current situation and on our efforts to take the country forward. I should first like to look back, albeit briefly. Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I convey our gratitude and appreciation to outgoing Under-Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guéhenno for his dedicated leadership at the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). He was fair and generous in implementing the reforms within DPKO and in the development of a United Nations peacekeeping doctrine that will guide future United Nations peace operations and missions. We wish Mr. Guéhenno well and assure his successor, Mr. Alain Le Roy, of our full support and cooperation. Fiji’s soldiers have a proud track record in United Nations peacekeeping operations — a record of professionalism, discipline, compassion and ability. Fiji’s Military Forces have shown that their training and ethics are an asset to peacekeeping operations. We continue to work very hard to keep that exceptional record intact.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I appeal to the international community and its system of institutions to enhance efforts to assist us to address the threats of global climate change. We need investments in adaptation measures. We need to move from rhetoric to a more pragmatic and speedy response. We call upon the agencies and our regional partners to coordinate efforts to ensure that we in the Pacific region have the capacity, both human and institutional, to deal with this new threat, especially as it is getting stronger. The observed and potential impacts on our peoples and ecosystems due to climate change are all too real and immediate. We count on the President and the Secretary-General to exercise more vigorous and active leadership on this issue of global climate change. I will now speak briefly on peacekeeping.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We very much hope that international trade negotiations and multilateral and bilateral trade deals will enable us to protect agricultural development in our small, vulnerable economies. Fiji will support all concerted efforts, public and private, national and multinational, regional and subregional, that are being pursued to address the global food crisis. 25 08-52265 On the issue of climate change, Fiji looks to, and is relying on, the leadership of the Assembly President. This is a critical issue for the very small island and atoll nations in the Pacific. While the rest of the world continues endlessly to debate the implications of climate change, in the very small islands and atolls in the Pacific the problem is very much upon us. It is now a present and very real danger. It poses a serious risk to regional stability and security.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The people of Fiji have been affected in a very real, immediate, serious and tangible way by the shocks transmitted to our small nation with the dramatic escalation in global food prices, energy price rises and the downturn in the global economy. In Fiji we are using these adverse external developments as an opportunity to revamp our long-neglected agricultural sector. We have ample land resources, and we must put them to better and more productive use. The food crisis and the need for self-reliance unfortunately run counter to the emergence of world trading rules. The principle of free trade dictates an open economy. Yet small developing economies like ours in Fiji need to protect our agriculture to ensure food security.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The people of Fiji warmly congratulate Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. We also convey our sincere gratitude to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Srgjan Kerim. I am particularly happy also to acknowledge the presence of the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Mr. Derrick Sikua, one of the Vice- Presidents of the General Assembly and a member of our region of the South Pacific. This session of the General Assembly is addressing several issues of critical global interest: the global food crisis; climate change; peacekeeping; and the law of the sea. All of those issues are of great and direct importance to small island nations such as Fiji. I will first briefly touch upon some of them.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“All we seek is your deeper understanding of our particular circumstances and the complex situation of Fiji. We hope that you will work with us, assist us to rebuild and move Fiji forward. In closing, I take this opportunity to extend to the Secretary-General an invitation to Fiji and indeed to our Pacific region during his tenure.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Good governance requires effective, functioning institutions. Since the coups of 1987, Fiji has suffered a massive exodus of the country’s skilled and educated people. The major beneficiaries of the transfer of those quality human assets have been Australia and New Zealand, and from those neighbours in particular we seek understanding and support. Our capacities and institutions have been severely eroded over the years. In all of this, we desperately need help, not a closing of doors. I shall conclude my statement by reaffirming Fiji’s commitment to the United Nations and to the various United Nations conventions on human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance. Fiji does not seek any unwarranted exemptions from any of those obligations.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Of course we know that those powerful States are protecting their own economic and political interests in the region. However, we in Fiji are protecting our democracy and strengthening our democratic institutions. Those powerful States are undermining our attempts to rebuild our nation on strong foundations and are undermining our attempts to appoint people of merit and honesty to our State institutions, regardless of race and religion. Current sanctions target any person appointed by the Interim Government. This is hypocrisy at its worst on part of those States as they are clearly undermining our efforts to promote and practice good governance. These actions such as the travel bans, described as smart sanctions have had a debilitating impact on our struggles to revive, to recover and to reform.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Fiji needs both financial and technical support from its bilateral and multilateral development partners to be able to effectively realize the vision that underpins the PCCP initiative. Above all, we seek the understanding of the international community to help us rebuild our nation in the true spirit of internationally acceptable precepts of good governance and a democracy that can be made to work and that can be sustained in Fiji. We must thank those Governments that have stood by and supported Fiji in our hour of need. Fiji is indeed very grateful and is deeply touched by their understanding and goodwill. Some in the international community, including the closest of our neighbours in the Pacific, have seen fit to impose punitive measures upon Fiji.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)