YouSaid · the spoken record

Lionel Rouwen Aingimea

lines on the record: 40
first: 2019-09-24
most recent: 2020-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“May God bless the Republic of Nauru and may God bless the United Nations.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We therefore call on the United Nations to fulfil our commitments to the human family and ensure that the 23.5 million people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) enjoy the same rights as the peoples of other nations. While the world grapples with the COVID pandemic, the people of Taiwan must not be left behind, nor should its exemplary response to the global pandemic be ignored. Taiwan is an important partner in the world’s response to this pandemic. More than ever today we need inclusivity and solidarity in responding to the global challenges we face. Mr. President, As we forge ahead in a future that is covered with COVID-19 and other things that we really do not know, ‘Let’s hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder as Scripture tells us, walk forward to meet the challenges of tomorrow’. Thank you, Mr. President.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, Our efforts in responding and containing the coronavirus would not have been possible without the valuable support rendered through our development partners and for this we are truly grateful to our genuine friends Australia, Taiwan, New Zealand, India, Japan and the United States. We also ask our friends the United States to not forget the people of Cuba who are also struggling like us under this pandemic. Mr. President, Seventy-five years ago, the nations of the world came together to draft a charter that would stand the test of time. It was created on the principles of universality and equality, respecting the worth of every individual. It is not enough to proclaim the virtues of multilateralism if we fail to strengthen our commitment to upholding the core principles of the Charter.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“It gives us the confidence in the development of the new regulatory regime for the collection of seafloor minerals, the ISA will ensure that this new industry will be managed responsibly while providing benefits for all mankind. Moreover, this will help us achieve SDG Goall4, namely Targets 2 and 7, on the sustainable management and protection of marine ecosystems and increase economic benefits to SIDS, respectively. I encourage ISA members to continue to work towards a timely development of the regulatory regime. I also commend ISA’s capacity-building development programme and in particular the Abyssal Initiative for the Pacific Sponsoring States. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“UNCLOS as the constitution of all ocean activities had the foresight to provide opportunity for developing States like mine to participate in the new seafloor mineral industry and balance the historical disparities that exist between the North and South. Specifically, I am speaking to the important work of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), as the international body tasked with organizing and controlling all mineral resource-related activities in international waters for the benefit of mankind as a whole, while ensuring the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep seabed related activities.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Combined with construction of the new, GCF-funded port facility, our new shipping line and our national carrier, Nauru can become a regional hub of commerce, including our aspiration for a regional health and sports tourism industry. This is our pathway to achieving our Sustainable Development Goals. However, we cannot do this alone. And this is where our renewed commitment to multilateralism must focus — on mobilizing the means of implementation for those that need it. Mr. President, It would be remiss of me to not to recognise that Nauru is a big ocean state. We are highly dependent on marine resources for its sustenance and economic development.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Nauru will need to accelerate efforts on the Higher Ground Initiative which is reclaiming the 80 per cent of mined-out land located at the central plateau of the island. Climate Change exposes environmental risks for coastal dwelling. We have begun preliminary scientific assessment on our physical environment to collect data that will contribute to informed decisions. We are still in the very infant stages and recognise this is only the beginning of a very long journey. Laying the right foundation is critical for future generation to continue the work we have started. With innovative planning and the incorporation of sustainable best practices, we are confident that the Desperate Imagination Vision can bring about jobs, cultivate new business trade and investment opportunities, and also restore our natural environment.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Most of these challenges exceed the capacity of any one nation to address alone. Therefore, addressing the security implications of climate change requires a multilateral response. We believe these functions are best taken up by a new Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Climate and Security. However, we will only succeed in protecting the security of vulnerable countries and communities if our political system shows the courage to make the fundamental changes that the climate crisis requires. We want a United Nations that addresses the climate crisis by taking urgent action, safeguard us from an economic regression and depression that will further exacerbate the existing inequalities among nations. Mr. President, Limited land space is an overarching challenge for us.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, Many have compared the humanitarian impacts and economic disruption of COVID to what we might expect from climate change. Therefore, I think it is important that we recognize foresighted leaders on this issue. Today, I would like to specifically thank the Government of Germany for continuing to place the issue of climate change and security before the United Nations Security Council. The most basic responsibility of any Government is to protect the safety and security of its citizens. Failure to do so risks social and political unrest. It is now uncontroversial that climate change will make it more difficult to fulfil this most basic responsibility of government by undermining food and water systems, increasing competition over declining natural resources, disrupting global supply chains, and displacing communities.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Nauru may be an extreme case, but it is well in line with the experience of many developing countries which, despite the best of development plans, cannot access the financial resources to actually implement them. This state of affairs was shameful before the pandemic, but it is now a crisis in its own right. Years, perhaps decades of economic gains across the developing world could be at risk without a rapid response from the Bretton Woods Institutions to relieve countries of unsustainable debt burdens and provide fiscal resources for a robust economic recovery. We need a global financial system that is more responsive to the urgent needs of developing countries, and I strongly urge you to take on this issue as part of your effort to reaffirm multilateralism. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“And in this regard, this country holds a dubious distinction as the only country denied access to concessional financial resources from the World Bank. Nauru is currently ineligible for International Development Assistance (IDA) grants and concessional loans, because our GNI per capita exceeds the current threshold for small island economies. We are also barred from receiving loans from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) because the World Bank has determined that our economy does not generate sufficient revenue to service new loans. Why are other countries given access to these financing tools and not Nauru?”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Mr President, One of the core pillars of Nauru’s sustainable development strategy is economic sustainability, consistent with this objective this Government launched its Desperate Imagination Vision this year. The vision is one of innovative thinking towards a financially sustainable and resilient Nauru. We placed emphasis on boosting all partnerships and identified the need for strengthening these networks to help us realise our vision for a financially sustainable and stable future. No longer can sustainability be brushed aside as an issue and that in the language of Nauru “will take care of itself” because alternate means to sustain the economy are now more important than ever. Sustainability of the nation must be front of mind now and always.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, Despite the sometimes-dour commentary on the current state of multilateralism, I think it is important to acknowledge the strikingly prolific decade we have just concluded here at the United Nations. Our commitment to multilateralism has delivered historic agreements on sustainable development, climate change, disaster risk reduction, and development finance, just to name a few. This body of work, which reflects the views of every UN Member State — from largest to the smallest — has the potential to deliver a more resilient, more just, and more equitable world. Your challenge, and ours, is to bring these agreements to fruition as a matter of urgency. This will be the test of multilateralism going forward — Let’s not fail this.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The pandemic has also taught us the need to be better prepared next time. Greater investment needs to flow into our public health systems to build our capacity and capability for future pandemics. Allow me to applaud the efforts of the Secretary-General in spearheading the reform of the United Nations development system to be more effective and fit for purpose, in particular, we look forward to the early establishment of a new multicountry office in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). We view this as a positive step that will enable a responsive, focused and targeted support coordinated between the North Pacific small island developing States (SIDS) and the United Nations. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Our history therefore reminds us that an outbreak in one part of the world can produce a catastrophic and devastating effect on this tiny country. The lessons of the past cannot go unheeded. Through the Grace of God — we remain COVID free today. Mr. President, Our experience has shown us that the World Health Organisation was slow in declaring the pandemic. This tells us there is much room for improvement. We must ensure that every country regardless of size is not left behind. We must do more. At the regional level, Nauru is one of the 10 countries covered by the United Nations Multi-Country Office in Fiji and benefits the least. The pandemic exposed the weakness of the UN Development System and the disconnect between a coordinated regional response to meeting our national needs and priorities.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, Why does this government place such importance on the effectiveness of our national and multilateral responses to the pandemic? Allow me to put this into context. Nauru has a land area of 21 square kilometres and a circumference of 19 kilometres. The population is estimated roughly at 11,000 and the expected growth rate of 4.5 per cent, which by 2050 will make us 27,000 people. Taking this into account Nauru has had a history of population decimation. In the 1920’s the population was ravaged by the influenza epidemic and again by the scourge of the Second World War. These external factors threatened the very survival of our people and nation with the population falling dangerously below 500. We struggled to bring the level up to 1,500 to gaining independence in 1968 and become a sovereign nation.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, Fortunately, I am pleased to share that my small island country, Nauru remains free from COVID. For us this is truly a milestone achievement. This government took steps to enact national laws to support new policies and measures to deal with the pandemic. We created a national COVID Taskforce to ensure that our responses are coordinated and coherent taking a whole-of-government approach working with the private sector, civil society and the community at large. We took measures to secure our borders by implementing travel restrictions with quarantine protocols while at the same time have an open and controlled border policy in place. We used the borders of other countries as our bulwark. This is our capture and contain policy. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We should not miss out simply because we did not do it right or because we lack the capacity to navigate our way through new modalities of operations. While we recognise these are unprecedented times, we believe that the UN has the capability, the expertise and the know-how to deliver effectively in times of crises and taking into account the challenges faced by the smallest members. Our experience is that access to, support and assistance in a timely manner, is critical to ensure the effectiveness of the PHP-C. We also found ourselves competing against each other for much needed resources and those of us who have had far greater experience in engaging with the United Nations system was better placed to access the support required. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Following WHO’s declaration of the outbreak as a pandemic, Nauru responded immediately by declaring a State of National Disaster for the Management and Preparedness of COVID-19 in March of this year. This action enabled this government to address our national emergency responses to the pandemic. Our goal like many of yours, is to protect the people and citizens of Nauru. We also recognised that WHO played a leading role in managing the Pacific region’s response which later led to the formation of the Pacific Humanitarian Pathway for COVID 19 (PHP-C). This new modality - developed for the purpose of consolidating donor funding into a regional mechanism proved onerous, confusing and thus ineffective. At the height of any crisis we should not alienate further the people we are supposed to help.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Many countries were caught off guard when a tiny virus exposed systemic vulnerabilities in our global and national institutions on how we protect and care for our people. Your chosen theme for this session “The Future We Want, the United Nations We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism — Confronting COVID-19 Through Effective Multilateral Action,” is timely and appropriate. For a country like Nauru, as one of the smallest UN member state and most vulnerable, we looked to the leadership of the World Health Organisation mandated to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Before the outbreak of the pandemic, we heard cases of a new virus spreading across the globe and we waited in anticipation for the WHO’s guidance and assessment of the situation.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Mr. President, It is an honour to participate in the opening of this historic 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly. On behalf of the Republic of Nauru, I would like to congratulate Your Excellency on your recent assumption of the Presidency. Let me assure you of my delegation’s full cooperation and support as you steer our important work during this session. I would also like to thank His Excellency Mr. Tijiani Muhammad-Bande for his exceptional leadership during this unprecedented time as our outgoing President. Mr. President, In light of the current global challenges that face the international community, it is more critical than ever to have a United Nations that is fit for purpose.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I am fully aware of the challenges that we face as a Pacific small island developing State, but I can also see the great opportunities that are now within our grasp. Here I would like to recall the words of the Secretary-General, when at the opening of the general debate (see A/74/ PV.3) he said, “We the leaders must deliver for we the peoples”. May God bless the Republic of Nauru and may God bless the United Nations.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing represents a great threat and serious losses for our small economy. Those issues are enshrined in SDG 14, and in that regard we look forward to the convening of the second United Nations Ocean Conference in Portugal in 2020. My administration is determined to give more than it receives and committed to being a champion for the weak, the vulnerable and the voiceless, taking nothing from them but rather giving them a better education system, a better health-care regime and renewable energy resources, while helping to equip them to navigate a future that is hopeful yet unpredictable. And while we cannot build that better future alone, we are looking forward to forging the strong partnerships and powerful multilateral system that we require.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Yet while that brigade is saving lives in Nauru, its own people continue to suffer extreme and unjust hardships under the economic, commercial and financial embargo that the United States has imposed on Cuba for nearly six decades. We call on the United States not to forget the friendly people of Cuba, who are hurting under its sanctions. The work of the International Law Commission on the topic of sea-level rise in relation to international law is of tremendous importance and interest for the Pacific region. The issues around baselines and rising seas are critical, and we believe that it is in the interest of all States to give serious consideration to the effects of sea- level rise on the livelihoods of their peoples. Ensuring the security of our oceans is another problem that we must all tackle.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“It is not enough to proclaim the virtues of multilateralism if we do not strengthen the commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for citizens everywhere. Development is not sustainable if it is not fair and inclusive. We therefore call on the United Nations to embrace willing and capable partners like Taiwan in its SDG endeavours. Taiwan is ready to share the experience it has accumulated in reaching its level of success with its partner countries, including Nauru. In 2018 alone, Taiwan carried out development projects in various SDG fields. It is high time that the United Nations lived up to the ideals it espouses. On that note, I want to thank the Government of Cuba for strengthening my country’s health sector through the deployment of its very able medical brigade.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“After decades of inaction and delay, many dangerous impacts are now unavoidable, all of which are well captured in the special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, entitled Global Warming of 1.5° C. In small island developing States, many of those effects have been with us for quite some time. Climate change will be the defining security challenge of the century, and it requires a similarly robust multilateral response. For that reason, Nauru supports the proposal by the Pacific small island developing States to appoint a United Nations special representative for climate and security, whose work must begin with an assessment of the capacity of the United Nations to respond to climate disasters.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The recent review of the multi-country office brings special attention to small islands, including in the establishment of the multi-country office in the North Pacific. For our subregion, this has been long overdue and is a positive step in the right direction towards ensuring longer term in-country engagement for durable institutional-capacity development. We look forward to working closely with the United Nations and our development partners in shaping the future that we want — one that is risk resilient and one where our children have a future. As already mentioned, Nauru is taking very ambitious domestic action to address climate change, and while there are similar pockets of activity around the globe, the sum total leaves us far short of our goals as set forth in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Climate change also threatens an economic Armageddon if the tuna fishery disappears. With regard to small island developing States (SIDS), we have a very useful plan for improving our efforts in the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action Pathway, which highlights our special circumstances and development challenges. As small island developing States, we have always called for genuine and durable partnerships. Partnerships are certainly part of the solution, but they need to be mainstreamed, tailored and SIDS-friendly. Treating everyone the same does not mean that everyone is treated fairly, and this is why we continue to stress the special case of the small island developing States. We applaud the efforts of the Secretary-General in spearheading the reform of the United Nations development system to be more effective and fit for purpose.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I attribute the success to our award-winning organization — the parties to the Nauru Agreement Concerning Cooperation in the Management of Fisheries of Common Interest — and the combined efforts of the Forum Fisheries Agency and the Pacific Community. I must also recognize the contributions of the outstanding men and women of the Nauru Agreement and its member countries, who have been persistent in their efforts and bold in their vision. However, as a word of concern, this fishery is projected to disperse and disappear from the waters of the nine member countries and territories of the Nauru Agreement in the not-too-distant future — another effect of the climate crisis. Sea-level rise is not only about an existential threat to our small and low-lying island.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I am therefore pleased to announce that much progress has been made in reaching our target of generating 50 per cent of our energy from solar power by 2020. This is an incredible feat for our small island, and I must attribute its success to the collaboration with our development partners, namely, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, the European Union and the Asian Development Bank, all of which I would like to acknowledge. I thank them very much. The small island countries of the Pacific, including Nauru, are highly dependent on marine resources for its sustenance and economic development. The tuna fishery is worth $6 billion annually, and it is one of the best- managed fisheries in the world.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Nauru already sits in a drought-prone region of the Pacific, and the frequency of droughts is projected to increase in the future. Improving our water security is therefore a key priority. We do not currently have a modern distribution system, so we rely on trucks to deliver water to on-site storage tanks. Installing new tanks and buying additional trucks can improve the situation in the short term, but our priority must be to install a water- and sewerage-reticulation system, as envisioned in our Nauru Water and Sanitation Master Plan. Eradicating poverty and improving our way of life also revolves around the development of sustainable energy supplies. The importation of fossil fuels is a massive drain on our national coffers.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Some of this situation can be attributed to the astronomical price of fresh fruits and vegetables on the island, where even basic produce can cost as much as $16 per kilogram. Our water supply does not meet the standards of the World Health Organization, and we need to upgrade and climate-proof our health-care facilities. We are losing our loved ones and their expertise. We are losing our history. We will require multilateral assistance, or we risk losing our future as well. The climate crisis is another challenge to our medium- and long-term viability, which is why climate action has been fully integrated into our development strategy. We take our international obligation to reduce emissions very seriously, but as a small and vulnerable country, our overriding priority must be resilience.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Also, the lack of good job opportunities that require a diploma has led some families to question the value of a quality education. I will therefore be calling for a review of the education system in Nauru to address the challenges and issues that we face, with a view to putting in place a quality education system that will provide all learners, young and old, with capabilities to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods and enhance individual well-being. But, most importantly, the curriculum will embrace the Nauruan language, cultures and traditions. A healthy population is equally important to the health of a nation. Nauru suffers from some of the highest rates of non-communicable diseases in the world. Diabetes has taken the lives of far too many friends and family members.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The potential upside in Nauru is significant, but there remain some distressing barriers to fully capitalize on that moment. Early this year, Nauru presented its first voluntary national review at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The voluntary- national- review process helped focus attention on the key gaps and challenges in the implementation of our national strategies. Health and education emerged as two areas that require urgent attention. The President of the General Assembly has highlighted education as a key component of the vision for this session of the General Assembly; so it is too for my country. Teacher retention is a persistent challenge, and student truancy has risen to alarming levels.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“An area equal to 80 per cent of our island, topside, rises many meters above sea level and sits undeveloped, providing a veritable blank canvas to reimagine sustainability on small islands. We are in the early stages of developing a master plan, which we look forward to sharing with committed partners in the near future. A new port facility and the Higher Ground initiative, along with an aggressive push on renewable energy and efficiency, serve as the major cornerstones of a sustainable-development strategy that has the potential to create good jobs, generate new revenue streams and radically improve our fiscal situation. More importantly, those efforts will finally create a wealth of new opportunities for our youth, something that has gone missing in Nauru for a generation.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“It will become far easier for ships’ crews to disembark, thereby providing local business owners with more business opportunities. The port will also open new markets to our exports and facilitate the development of new trade partners and ventures, all of which will provide a more diversified and reliable revenue stream for our economy. Our plan is to move forward with port construction in parallel with the development of the interior of our island. The Higher Ground initiative, as it is known, represents a historic opportunity to build our resilience to climate change and sea-level rise by moving housing and critical infrastructure away from our vulnerable coastal areas.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“And important work has already begun that promises to transform our country in meaningful ways. Construction is moving forward on a major upgrade to our maritime port, which promises to deliver a much greater measure of food and energy security, as well as unlock new economic opportunities for the country. Our current arrangement requires that ships be moored at sea, with supplies ferried to shore by smaller vessels. This set-up is incredibly costly, and unpredictable weather can delay shipments of basic goods for days. Jointly funded by the Green Climate Fund, the Asian Development Bank, Australia and the Government of Nauru, the new port has the potential to become a hub of commerce for our small island and the wider Pacific. Value-added services for fishing and shipping vessels will become viable in Nauru.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The Secretary-General’s challenge resonates strongly in Nauru, where just last month we held elections that saw over half the seats in Parliament change hands. The people of Nauru have spoken loud and clear that they are seeking change. Indeed, after an economic collapse followed by many years of stagnation, far too many Nauruans have been left behind, and they are hungry for improvements in the quality of their lives. It is the highest priority of my Administration to restore to them what has been lost, return what has been taken and deliver on the promises that have gone unfulfilled for too long. By working with our partners towards our Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate goals, I am confident that my Administration can succeed where previous ones have stumbled.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I hope that it will be the first of several visits to our region, as the United Nations strives to become more responsive to the needs of the smallest and the most vulnerable. The Secretary-General posed an incredibly important question to us in his opening address: referring to a world of disquiet and a growing fear of the people that they are being left behind, he asked: “Do they believe, as leaders, we will put people first?” (A/74/PV.3, p. 1). More than just a question, it was a poignant reminder that we gather here merely as servants of the people. His words should also serve as a challenge to all of us to build a more equitable and responsive Government at home and a more equitable and responsive multilateral system here at the United Nations.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“It is an honour to be in this Hall for the opening of the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly. On behalf of the Republic of Nauru, I would like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande on his recent assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly. Let me assure him of my delegation’s full cooperation and support as he steers our important work during this session. I would also like to thank Her Excellency Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces for her exceptional work as our outgoing President. As it is my first time appearing before this body as the President of Nauru, allow me to recognize the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, and to commend him for his recent trip to the Pacific.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)