YouSaid · the spoken record

Tommy Esang Remengesau Jr.

lines on the record: 108
first: 2013-09-24
most recent: 2020-09-24
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

“We were champions of a standalone goal on oceans in the 2030 Agenda, and of including tobacco control among the targets for Goal 4 on health. We have emphasized the critical value of partnerships for sustainable development and peace. The sovereign equality that each of us exercise in this Assembly is a responsibility that we take seriously. And I hope that you will agree that Palau has lived up to this responsibility. This has been my final contribution to our annual General Debate. But be in no doubt that Palau’s contributions to the work of the UN is just beginning. Thank you, and Kom kmal mesulang.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President, As one of the youngest members of this organization since we gained our independence in 1994, Palau’s lived experience tells us about the importance of multilateralism. In this 75th anniversary year of the United Nations, we know that this multilateralism is fragile, precious, and must be actively defended. All have a part to play in it, and no-one can opt-out if we are to all benefit from it. As the leader of a small state, I am proud of Palau’s contribution to the United Nations and our multilateral agenda. To building consensus around shared norms, and to actively participating in our shared institutions. We were among the first countries to ratify the Paris Agreement and the Nuclear Ban Treaty, after actively contributing to their negotiation.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In particular, the Government of India, through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, and in partnership with the UN Office for South- South Cooperation and UNOPS, has provided invaluable support to improving our healthcare system, as well as a rapid response to pandemic preparations. Our Global South partners continue to expand, with a new award to Palau from India, Brazil and South Africa’s Poverty Reduction Facility, to support the revitalization of education facilities. This solidarity between some of the world’s largest states, and Palau, one of the world’s smallest, is a powerful demonstration of a commitment towards the UN’s values and the vision of the 2030 Agenda. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I want to express a personal note of thanks to Prime Minister Abe, who has been a consistent friend of Palau and our region, and to wish him a healthy recovery. Japan’s ocean initiatives, especially on marine plastic litter, also show a commitment to transitioning towards a sustainable ocean economy. We were delighted to welcome Australia’s first resident Ambassador to Palau earlier this year. Now, as I speak, Australia’s commitment to regional security is being demonstrated through the training and handover of the PSS Remeliik II, a new contribution to our coast guard as part of Australia’s Pacific Maritime Security Program. In the past few years, South-South cooperation has also taken on increased importance for Palau.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We seek new opportunities to deepen this relationship for mutual benefit, including for the purposes of regional security and diversifying our economic activities. The enduring friendship of Palau and the United States is an advertisement for the rules based-international order. In a rules-based international order, states of all sizes, all cultures, and all regions can thrive together. This commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region is also shared with Japan, which has been a historic partner, and a historic development partner, of Palau. Japan’s technical assistance to Palau, especially in infrastructure development, reaches every corner of Palau, and we look forward to this continuing under their new government.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“This includes in implementing the 2030 Agenda, where we often underline the need to leave no-one behind. The 23.5 million people of Taiwan should not be left behind, and it is time for Taiwan’s exclusion to end. Palau, of course, holds a special relationship with the United States. Palau’s bond with the United States is written in its Compact of Free Association, but it is written even more deeply in shared history, shared culture, and common values. We share the American priorities and values of freedom, democracy, individual rights, and a rules-based international order. In these turbulent times, we share its firm commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, which we reaffirmed by hosting the US Secretary of Defense last month.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“As such, Taiwan is one of the only places on earth that is safe enough for quarantine-free travel with COVID-free nations like Palau. And we are currently working together to create the world’s first safe bubble economy. On many other international issues and organizations, such as in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the International Civil Aviation Organization, Taiwan can also make meaningful contributions to strengthening collective action. Taiwanese residents and journalists have been unjustly barred from accessing UN premises, limiting their ability to engage with the UN’s agenda and work. We urge others in this Assembly to join us in recognizing that Taiwan Can Help in responding to so many of our shared challenges.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“At the very moment when the world needed to come together to respond to the pandemic, we failed to do so. And I do mean that we failed. Taiwan, a public health leader that has implemented one of world’s most effective pandemic responses, was left out of the global response to this pandemic, and that made the world less safe. In this pandemic, Taiwan has generously shared its experience and expertise with Palau, including critical support for establishing on-island testing capabilities, and PPE procurement. The effectiveness of Taiwan’s control over the pandemic has been recognized by many others, and if included in international health coordination mechanisms, can also share these lessons with the rest of the world.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In Palau, a tangible expression of this support is in the partnerships with multiple friends for infrastructure development in our “Global Village” conference facilities in Koror. These facilities have been progressively upgraded over the past year, in partnership with UNOPS, and which I will officially open next week. Durable, quality infrastructure is a cornerstone of sustainable development. While Palau is an island, the partnerships that have made this Global Village possible remind us about the solidarity shown by friends all over the world. Since my first address to the General Assembly as President in 2001, I have reiterated Palau’s call for Taiwan to be allowed to participate in international organizations. We regret that this was denied again at this year’s World Health Assembly.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We welcome Germany’s initiative to convene a Security Council debate on the climate emergency this year. We reiterate the call of the Pacific island states for the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Climate and Security to integrate these concerns into the Council’s agenda. Time and time again, Palau has emphasized the need for effective partnerships to support sustainable development. This is especially true as we begin the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs, and it is the unique role of the United Nations to facilitate these partnerships. Our guiding frameworks, such as the SAMOA Pathway have already been agreed. What is needed is the support for implementation.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The Green Climate Fund needs to continue its work on simplified access for the most vulnerable, such as small island developing states. In Palau, our preparations to reach our NDC target of 45% renewable energy generation are progressing. Solar power and a supporting microgrid will soon reduce our miniscule emissions, but also serve as a form of adaptation, increase our energy security and resilience, and reduce the volatilities of imported fossil fuels. With the right support in implementation, we can go further in bringing forward an enhanced NDC before COP26. We are ready for the energy transition in Palau. But we need the right partnerships to deliver on our ambition. As the current impacts of the climate emergency worsen, they are generating more security threats to vulnerable countries, especially small island states.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“At least 30% of the ocean needs to be protected by 2030. The role of coral reefs also needs to be appropriately recognized. But for this framework to be effective, it must learn the lessons of the past decade: that goals must be supported by adequate resources. While the climate COP26 may also have been delayed by the pandemic, this cannot delay increased climate ambition, and support for the implementation of increased ambition. Responding to the climate emergency is of existential concern, and the momentary drop in emissions this year cannot be allowed to generate any complacency about global progress. The climate finance commitments made by developed countries cannot be shirked during this pandemic, because to do so is to undermine the ability of the most vulnerable to mitigate and adapt to climate impacts.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We cannot let this opportunity to rebalance production and ocean protection escape us. To complement these actions, it is also vital that negotiations on a high seas treaty are completed next year. We need to close this governance gap on the high seas, so that we are able to effectively protect the ocean beyond national jurisdiction. Additionally, at next year’s Convention on Biological Diversity COP15, the ocean must also not be neglected. The Global Biodiversity Outlook released last week starkly warns that we have not been successful in reaching the targets set forward a decade ago in Aichi. Significant implementation gaps remain. As we set a new framework for the conservation of nature over the next decade, we need to act with greater urgency, and with greater solidarity for implementation of these targets in developing countries.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“All of humanity depends on the ocean for food, for climate regulation, for trade, for security, and for so much more. The High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, which I co-chair, has been building a blueprint for this ocean ambition. While the Panel’s work has been underway long prior to the pandemic, its analysis highlights how investments in key ocean economy sectors provide a way to “build back bluer” from the pandemic, with benefits for jobs, the environment, and human health. These include protecting coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangroves; investing in sewage and wastewater infrastructure for coastal communities, and in zero emission marine transport. At the end of this year, the Ocean Panel will launch our recommendations on transformative actions that we need to take to transition to a sustainable ocean economy.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“At the beginning of this year, Palau reached a new milestone by implementing the Palau National Marine Sanctuary. We are protecting 80% of our Exclusive Economic Zone as a no take protected area, echoing our ancient tradition of a “bul”, a moratorium on fishing in order to sustain fisheries for the long-term. And we will be developing an artisanal domestic fishing sector in the other 20% of our EEZ, to diversify our economy, sustain jobs and improve access to healthy seafood. Palau is a large ocean state, and we are acting in accordance with our responsibilities for stewardship over our EEZ. But the ocean covers the majority of our planet’s surface. We hope that Palau’s actions will inspire ambition elsewhere. We are all ocean people, even if we do not live near coasts.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“As a result, Palau will be participating in the COVAX Facility being coordinated by GAVI and partners, as our best shot to pooling resources and supporting equitable access to a vaccine, if and when one becomes available. Meanwhile, we will also continue to work with our close friends in the United States, in close partnership with the US Centers for Disease Control. We cannot let this individual threat distract us from the long-term threats we continue to face. Our long-term health, development and prosperity depend on repairing our relationship with nature. This is especially the case in responding to our ocean emergency. Marine pollution, overfishing and acidifying and warming seas are taking their toll on the health of our ocean. And our human prosperity depends on a healthy ocean.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“This means access to concessional finance and to innovative financial support, so that we too can prepare to recover from the economic crisis that the pandemic has brought. To rebuild the fiscal space for investing in sustainable development that the pandemic has wiped out. We know that this pandemic is far from over. And small States cannot also be left out in the race to seek an effective vaccine. In a global community, parts of the world cannot be made safe in isolation. Vaccine hoarding will harm us all. Palau’s recovery from the economic crisis of COVID will not be possible without sharing in this process to develop a vaccine.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We struggle to keep families united, to keep college students in school, and to keep family breadwinners working. Private sector unemployment is approaching 50%, and it will take years to recover what we have lost in months. This pandemic highlights a feature of multilateral development we have been pointing out for many years now. The truth is, Palau’s high-income categorization is, in many ways, unrealistic. It does not match the facts on the ground or reflect our tremendous vulnerability as a small economy. This has to be addressed, because the current rules deny us help we desperately need. The unified response from the international community should extend to our small island circumstances.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In Palau, we have been fortunate to remain free of COVID-19 cases. But we are certainly not free of the consequences of this pandemic. Sometimes we hear people say that health is more important than money, and that is certainly true. But a national economy is not “money,” it is the system that determines quality of life, and that delivers critical public services. It is the environment, healthcare, education. It is food on the table. This pandemic has put Palau into a level of isolation we have not known for many, many years. We struggle with disruptions to supply chains for food and essential medicines. We struggle to connect patients with life-saving medical treatment, for which we previously relied on off-island providers in larger countries.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We took up many opportunities for coalition-building after 9/11: on terrorism, on the Millennium Development Goals and on advancing the doctrine of the responsibility to protect. Other challenges remain and have intensified, especially those challenges to the health of our planet. Our method in addressing this ecological crisis must also be to turn towards coalitionbuilding, a consensus-driven approach and to form new partnerships for enhancing ambition and effective implementation. We must act in solidarity with each other because it is a shared future that we face together, which we cannot address if we are divided. Our immediate shared future is, of course, the pandemic, and I wish to extend our condolences at the loss of life suffered by so many around the world to this virus.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We meet not in the shadow of terrorism, but in the shadow of global pandemic. We do not see human evil in this pandemic, in the way we did in the perpetrators of 9/11. But the challenge of our response is not so different: to craft closer cooperation between nations large and small, rich and poor; to unite in the face of a shared crisis in a way that might have seemed unlikely a year or two ago. In 2001,1 emphasized that: “There is only one system in which we exist, and the related understanding that any act or condition within that system affects each of us, although in varying ways and degrees. In such a system, problems are best addressed through coalition-building and a consensus driven approach, and process of give and take, involving the widest possible range of participants.” This is no less true today than it was in 2001.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In my final address to the General Assembly today, I want to reflect on the difference these last two decades have made, and on the many benefits Palau has enjoyed from its relationship with the United Nations. When I addressed the 52nd session of the General Assembly, we were meeting two months after the horror of the 9/11 attacks. My message then was one of unity, of recognizing a new spirit of cooperation that globalization was fostering in response to 9/11.1 said then: “While we remain shocked, saddened and deeply offended by the events giving rise to the new unity, we must acknowledge and nurture whatever good those events can be turned to. We now have the ability to see the clear advantages of close cooperation on matters which affect us all.” In a way, this call remains apt today.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies, alii from the Republic of Palau. Please allow me to begin by congratulating His Excellency Volkan Bozkir on his election as President of this historic 75th session of the General Assembly. I also wish to express Palau’s thanks to His Excellency Tijjani Muhammad-Bande for his leadership of the Assembly over the past year, guiding us through these unprecedented challenges. Mr. President, Some nineteen years ago, I had the privilege of addressing this Assembly for the first time as President of the Republic of Palau. In January, I will complete my public service, having served as President for sixteen of those years, and I will return to being a fisherman in Palau’s pristine waters.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I am very confident that they can look forward to another 25 years in a country that is large in the things that count — large in its commitment to friendship and solidarity with this great family of nations. I am hopeful that they will live in a world that has seized this critical moment in history to avert the worst effects of the climate crisis; a world that has rebalanced its relationship with the land, the atmosphere and the oceans; a world that works with nature and not against her. This family is what gives me hope. It is what gives the people of Palau hope.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The Government of India has been a growing partner in health and other fields by supporting our health-care system and diffusing small-scale solar technology through Palauans who have now been trained under the Solar Mamas project. We view with concern North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launches that violate Security Council resolutions. They threaten peace and stability in our region and around the world. Weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges must be dismantled and the cooperation of all States is essential to fully implement relevant Security Council resolutions. It seems like the last 25 years have passed in the blink of an eye. The first generation of Palauans born to an independent republic are already coming of age. Now our second generation of independent Palauans are just starting school.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We are proud of our close relationship through our Compact of Free Association and look forward to beginning discussions on its renewal. One early step in our national journey was the development of our maritime capabilities to secure our large EEZ. Australia stepped forward to support that step by donating a patrol boat in 1996. We are delighted that Australia has extended its commitment to the Pacific patrol boat programme and will be replacing the PSS Remeliik with a new patrol boat in 2020. Australia’s long record of support for capacity-building of marine law enforcement has been especially important in preparation for the implementation of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Our collective commitment to leave no country behind also demands that we end our exclusion of Taiwan and its 23 million people, not only here in the General Assembly but also in the range of international bodies that are essential to establishing effective multilateralism, such as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. We know from our partnership with Taiwan about the strength of its commitment to the SDGs; its equal and dignified participation in 2030 Agenda processes will only strengthen our global effort to realize the Agenda. The United States has been our friend for the longest time — our histories are deeply intertwined. We share its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Implementing the Secretary-General’s recommendations for reform of the United Nations development system also remains an essential objective to ensure that no country is left behind. I therefore look forward to the establishment of a United Nations multi-country office in the North Pacific. As affirmed at the Micronesian Presidents Summit earlier this year, basing a multi-country office in one of the North Pacific countries will bring greater coherence to development support in the region and enhance the efforts of Micronesian SIDS to achieve the SDGs.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“While Palau has made considerable gains in some key areas, progress can be greatly accelerated by durable partnerships and greater multilateral cooperation that take into consideration the needs of SIDS. The mid-term review of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway also reiterates the special needs and circumstances of SIDS and emphasizes the importance of scaling up financing modalities. In particular, we welcome its recognition of the limitations of an income-only measure of development and its call to deepen and enhance partnership with SIDS. As was made tragically clear in the Bahamas, our vulnerabilities as SIDS to disasters and climate impacts are unique and threaten to undermine all our sustainable development efforts.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We urge the President of the General Assembly, together with the Secretary-General, to undertake consultations to advance the reform process and ensure that the Security Council better reflects the geopolitical realities of the world today. The Security Council must also be prepared to take on the most pressing security challenges of our generation. We therefore reiterate the call of Pacific islands for the Secretary-General to appoint a special representative on climate and security. Our pathway to realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is enabled by a strong multilateral system. The political declaration adopted by the High-level Political Forum on sustainable development reminds us that accelerated action depends on accessible means of implementation.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“It is also vital that we see an ambitious response by our developed country brothers and sisters to replenish the United Nations Green Climate Fund. We thank those that have recently announced new commitments this week, including Denmark, Sweden, Monaco and South Korea, and we look forward to others coming forward to also increase their pledges of support. The seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations next year has been identified as an important opportunity to reduce the trust deficit among nations. As part of the work to revitalize multilateralism, our United Nations institutions must be fit for purpose. The reform of the Security Council remains an urgent task in that regard.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Palau is honoured to have been a member of the energy transition track for the Summit and to have presented and developed the small island developing States (SIDS) sustainable energy package, which is part of the commitment by SIDS to systematically and ambitiously transition to low-carbon economies. The package seeks to build the partnerships that generate action on the ground by scaling up the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative; SIDS will be empowered to develop ambitious and achievable plans for renewable energy and to attract new investment. In Palau we are about to begin the task of installing the world’s largest microgrid, which will enable us to meet our nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement well ahead of 2025. The formation of a public-private partnership has been critical to that endeavour.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“If we are going to slow and stop the worst effects of the climate crisis, we cannot do so without turning to the ocean. The High-level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy also issued a call this week for ocean- based climate action to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Investing in nature-based solutions, decarbonizing ocean industries and securing sustainable food are solutions that we can all take collectively. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his leadership in convening this week’s Climate Action Summit.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We also look forward to the successful conclusion of negotiations and the adoption of a new treaty on high seas biodiversity that will set the multilateral framework for us to effectively protect the high seas and complement our national efforts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) today presented its Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. Its warnings about the impacts of the climate crisis on the ocean paint a picture of ocean neglect and of warming and acidifying seas that threaten fish life cycles and coral reefs. For a country like Palau, whose economy, culture and way of life are dependent on the ocean, that is of existential concern, but the IPCC’s report also tells us that the health of the ocean should concern all countries.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We aim to galvanize further momentum on ocean action, as well as to take stock of what we have achieved so far and what remains to be done for the protection of our oceans. As co-Chair of the High-level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, I am working with 13 other serving Heads of State to rebalance humankind’s contract with the ocean. As the Panel continues to develop its recommendations for achieving a sustainable ocean economy ahead of the 2020 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 — conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development — to be held in Lisbon, we reiterate our invitation to industry and the private sector to join us in that effort.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Therefore, like our ancestors, Palau has once again declared a bul against fishing — but this time on a scale the world has rarely seen. In just a few months from now, on 1 January 2020, the Palau National Marine Sanctuary will enter its implementation phase. Eighty per cent of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ), approximately 500,000 square kilometres of ocean, will be protected as a no-take area. The remaining 25 per cent will be open to artisanal fishing, where we also intend to develop our domestic fishing industry. Our ocean is a precious resource. We need to safeguard its health so that future generations can continue to benefit from its abundance. We also look forward to hosting the seventh Our Ocean Conference in August 2020.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“However, that issue deserves much greater attention at the United Nations. Sustainable marine protection has been a tradition in Palau that extends back thousands of years. For most of our history, the greatest threat has come from overfishing. When fisheries started to decline, the elders would declare a bul, or prohibition, and all fishing in that area would cease. Knowing when to exercise restraint has been key to the sustainable management of our marine environment. Palau has some of the most well-preserved coral reef ecosystems in the world. However, we face many challenges brought on by a globalized world. Local fisherman are not the only ones trawling our waters today, and the climate crisis threatens to render island lives and livelihoods untenable.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Palau has made recent progress in achieving near- universal health coverage, but challenges remain in the area of improving the quality of health care and the durability of health-care systems in the face of the climate crisis. However, our voluntary national review also identified areas requiring greater attention, including improving nutrition, transitioning to a low- carbon energy system and building the resilience of our public infrastructure and essential public services. In my address last year (see A/73/PV.9), I highlighted the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in Palau, which has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world. One step since then has been a directive that I signed for all Government food service systems to serve pelagic fish as a way of encouraging traditional, healthier diets.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“As a large ocean State, we strongly believe that our small island nation has much to contribute to those global efforts, and that important work must begin at home. In that regard, my Government had the pleasure to present its first voluntary national review to the High-level Political Forum of the Economic and Social Council. The voluntary national review recognized our important achievements, such as universal education, ending hunger and establishing our protected area network. Palau has proclaimed 2019 as the Year of Innovative Learning and Excellence, in recognition of the fact that our people are our greatest resource. Improving education and developing our human capital is necessary to thrive in a globalized world.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“He said, “My country, with approximately 20,000 citizens, will be one of the smallest Members of this Organization, but we are large in the things that count: a strong cultural heritage; a commitment to human rights and a democratic Government; resources — both human and marine — which we are particularly proud of; and, most of all, the support and friendship of our brothers and sisters in the international family of nations.” (A/49/PV.89, p.5) On the eve of our twenty-fifth anniversary of independence, those words still ring true. To my predecessor’s list, I would add only that Palau is also large in its sense of responsibility for protecting the marine environment and the climate system.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Allow me to begin by congratulating His Excellency Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande on becoming President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session. I applaud his emphasis on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Palau looks forward to working further with him on that important priority. Let me also express my thanks to his predecessor, Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, for her leadership over the past year. I also want to express my deep condolences to the people of the Bahamas and all the victims of Hurricane Dorian. They must know that, as fellow islanders, the people of Palau stand in solidarity with them. I would like to recall the words of my predecessor in his first address to the General Assembly 25 years ago, after Palau was formally admitted as the 185th member of the United Nations.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“It is an absolute necessity for addressing the very grave economic, environmental and humanitarian challenges facing the world. Palau stands with the Assembly as we begin the seventy-third session and as we continue working on that critical voyage.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Given the special status of our small island States with regard to their vulnerability, remoteness and size, the reform under way is timely and also highlights the need for a strengthened role for United Nations country teams and the resident coordinator system, along with the establishment of permanent offices for them in our region. We must ensure that the smallest countries are able to fully participate in the development of reform plans. Palau also reiterates its call, as a member of the Pacific small island developing States, for the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General on climate and security, which would address a significant gap in the United Nations system. Building peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies is no longer an aspirational ideal.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Nuclear tests have damaged the environment, human health, food security and economic development. Weapons of mass destruction have no place in this world, and we urge that efforts be made to achieve the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of such weapons and ballistic missiles of all ranges by North Korea. The global community must adhere to the fulfilment and implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and should uphold the international rule of law. I would like to commend the Secretary-General for initiating reforms of the United Nations, including the repositioning of the United Nations development system.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“My Government firmly believes that Taiwan’s inclusion in the United Nations system will greatly benefit the work of the United Nations and its 2030 Agenda and beyond. Palau is fortunate to have gained many newer partners and friends, and I would like to recognize the European Union, Italy, Indonesia, New Zealand, Russia, Thailand, Spain, Singapore, Korea, South Africa, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Viet Nam and many others. We remain committed to the need to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again. There is an inextricable connection between testing and the elimination of nuclear weapons. The legacy of the more than 2,000 nuclear tests that have been conducted has touched people and communities in many regions, including the victims of nuclear testing in the Pacific.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The Government of Australia remains a strong partner in our maritime surveillance and enforcement efforts. We also recognize its support to the development of our information and communications technology sector through the World Bank. The Republic of China, Taiwan has long been an ally in our efforts to achieve our Sustainable Development Goals. That special friendship and partnership can be seen in our infrastructure investments, as well as continued assistance in health and education. We urge the United Nations to seek a solution that will enable it to include Taiwan in all its processes, including the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Health Organization.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Its friendship, assistance, partnership and support continue to strengthen our economic and social undertakings. We would also like to express special thanks to India for its recent efforts to expand and strengthen its partnership with my country. India has partnered with us to improve our youth initiatives and strengthen family projects, and this year I have declared 2018 as a Year of Good Health, for which India is now a significant partner in reforming our health sector. We look forward to working through the Indo-Pacific strategy for partnerships in maintaining the integrity of our maritime areas. Cooperation in surveillance and the efforts of international law against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing will address a major challenge to sustainable fisheries, as well as improve regional security.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Of course, all of that work depends on the dedication of our partners and their commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 17. Our ambitious goals can only be attained with strong international partnerships that respect our national priorities and independence. Palau is fortunate to have many good friends and strong partners. We continue to strengthen our relationship with the United States of America through the Compact of Free Association, and we offer our gratitude for our unique relationship. We wish to give special thanks to the United States of America for the approval of the amended financial provisions of our Compact. The Government of Japan has also provided generous support through the years, and we are sincerely grateful.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“While Palau emits a minuscule fraction of the global aggregate, we believe that the example we set can inspire many others to act. Earlier this year, we took a big step forward by enacting a law modernizing our electricity sector to enable it to make a rapid transition to renewable energy, and we now have the enabling framework to trigger investments in transforming our economy so that it can harness the sun’s power. We can now contemplate the possibility that, in the near future, people and consumers will pay less for electricity and the financial savings will be distributed to the areas where it is needed most, such as health and education. One day very soon, visitors to our islands will be treated not only to a beautiful environment but also to a bold example of a more sustainable way of life.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Small island developing States are indeed making great strides in transforming their energy systems. As part of our vision for building a pristine paradise, Palau has adopted ambitious international commitments to increase its supply of renewable energy by harnessing the power of the sun and transforming our energy sector to receive at least 45 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025. Smokestacks have no place in paradise. Let me say that again. Smokestacks have no place in paradise. Our target represents an extremely ambitious undertaking but we are confident that, with the right partners, we can achieve our goal. We take very seriously our responsibility to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as part of the global effort to limit the temperature rise to 1.5° Celsius.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)