YouSaid · the spoken record

Rimbink Pato

lines on the record

69

first

2012-09-24

most recent

2018-09-24

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4

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un-general-debate

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1. “I would therefore like to conclude by expressing the fervent hope of all our peoples that the Pacific Ocean forever lives up to the meaning of its name — the ocean of peace.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

2. “In conclusion, I want to draw the Assembly’s attention once again to our country as we prepare to host the APEC leaders summit in November. As the world increasingly turns its attention to the Pacific Ocean, we are witnessing the enhanced interest of a range of countries, such as Australia, China, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. As one of the nations of the Blue Pacific Continent, we welcome that interest. However, we urge everyone to play an appropriate role in accordance with the accepted rules of international order so that the blue Pacific Ocean will be a zone of cooperation, stability and security, and an environment of pristine beauty for future prosperity.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

3. “As a maritime nation, Papua New Guinea considers the oceans agenda to be of great importance, as it contributes significantly to our nation’s well-being. We are working to ensure equitable returns from our marine resources, particularly by combating illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing in Papua New Guinea’s territorial waters. We are grateful for the close cooperation of like-minded countries in the World Trade Organization that are working to address harmful fisheries subsidies that foster IUU fishing. At the Pacific Islands Forum meeting, under our “Blue Pacific Continent” theme, we have agreed to secure the region’s maritime boundaries, work to eliminate marine litter and enhance maritime surveillance so as to deter illicit activities.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

4. “For our part, we are working towards signing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Let me take this opportunity to share the current status of the refugees and migrants on our Manus Island with the General Assembly. The processing centre was officially closed by my Government on 31 October 2017, following the decision of the Supreme Court in April 2016. We are therefore working closely with Australia in resettling qualified asylum-seekers, including in the United States. Other migrants remain in our country, each of whom will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. That is our contribution, within the limit of our means, in partnership with Australia, to addressing human trafficking, people-smuggling and international crime.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

5. “However, we want to emphasize that the work done through partnerships should in no way undermine the sovereignty of Papua New Guinea over its territory, in accordance with international law. We welcome the easing of tensions on the Korean peninsula, commend the efforts made by all parties involved, and further encourage peaceful dialogue. We support the moves to keep sanctions in place, not as a punishment but as a real incentive to get rid of nuclear weapons and fully implement all Security Council resolutions in order to bring prosperity to the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Accordingly, we applaud and support the efforts of the President of the General Assembly to draw global attention to the dangers of weapons of mass destruction.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

6. “Again, this is a call for collective global action that all small island developing States will benefit from and seek accordingly. Our Government notes the international community’s increasing interest in the imminent referendum in June 2019 in Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Region of Bougainville under the Bougainville Peace Agreement. We are fully committed to the Agreement. This year, we appointed the former Prime Minister of Ireland, Mr. Bertie Ahern, to preside over the work of the Bougainville Referendum Commission. We are eager for the Commission to begin its mandate soon. We are again grateful to our multilateral and bilateral development partners, including the United Nations, for working together with us on this issue of national importance for my country.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

7. “We express our gratitude to our bilateral partners, including the United Nations system, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and others, as well as the private sector and civil -society groups, which stood with us in our time of need. We are now revamping our economy and disaster- related plans to address similar events that may occur in the future. We naturally welcome the efforts made to replenish the financing available through the Green Climate Fund and thank the contributors for their generosity. Improved and timely access is imperative, especially for small island developing countries such as ours, in order to benefit from that important support to help us to mitigate, adapt and build resilience to the ravages of climate change and its adverse impacts and natural disasters.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

8. “We therefore strongly welcome the Secretary-General’s climate summit to be held in September 2019. In February, Papua New Guinea experienced a tragic and unprecedented earthquake, the worst in our history. It hit five provinces, killed nearly 200 people and displaced nearly 600,000 others. Many others were injured and traumatized. Vital infrastructure was destroyed. The national economy slowed. Compounding our situation were two separate volcanic eruptions. We are not alone. Accordingly, we sympathize with other countries, such as Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, China, the United States of America, the countries of the Caribbean and others that have been affected in recent times by months of natural disasters and climate-change-induced challenges.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

9. “We of course express our gratitude for the support of our multilateral and bilateral development partners, including the United Nations system, in assisting us in more ways than one in achieving our goals. We are preparing our people to cope with the increasing dangers arising from climate change, which are very real for us. Earlier this month, as I have said, at the Pacific Island Forum leaders meeting, in Nauru, we reaffirmed our strong commitment to working together to combat the adverse impacts of climate change under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement and other frameworks for the resilient development of the Pacific region. The Boe Declaration of the Pacific Island Forum leaders makes our position clear.”

   2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

10. “We believe that women’s equality is a fundamental human right. We have a very long way to go in that area. However, we are determined to find ways to make progress towards achieving that objective, for the sake of women and girls themselves and for the good of the nation. In fact, our long-term advancement depends on making great strides in what we believe is a very crucial area. We are working hard to do that through policies and laws, combating gender-based violence, providing business opportunities in the formal and informal sectors, such as microcredit schemes, and investing in our girls’ and women’s education at all levels of our education system. The changes are noticeable in my country, as we have put an additional 1 million young people in schools, many of whom are girls.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

11. “Both Australia and New Zealand, which are our good friends, have eloquently addressed the General Assembly on issues facing our region and the world and on the requirements and obligations for collective action. An essential part of our development challenge is harnessing the vastly untapped potential of our increasing population of young people, which today constitutes approximately 60 per cent of our total population. Creating employment opportunities in both the formal and the informal sectors is a key priority in our efforts to address the needs of young people in our country. We have hopes for the transformative nature of the digital economy, which is truly a game-changer. In addition, one of our greatest challenges is to protect women and girls and to ensure that they have full equality in our society.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

12. “With recovering oil and gas prices and several well-advanced new major energy and mining projects, we are optimistic about our future economic outlook. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a solid pathway that holds great promise for the international community. The choice to enjoy its full potential lies in our hands. At the Pacific regional level, earlier this month, in Nauru, our forum leaders reaffirmed our collective commitment. The call for collective action is set out in the Boe Declaration, a copy of which was delivered to His Excellency the Secretary-General yesterday. At the national level, we recognize the importance of putting in place the basic building blocks needed to enable sustainable, inclusive and participatory development.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

13. “However, in doing so, let us all keep our eyes on the prize: our vision of peace, security, a return to a pristine environment and ongoing prosperity. The key to overcoming the varied challenges lies within us — we the peoples of the United Nations. Let us work on being united and being stronger together in a system based on mutual respect, friendship, dialogue and multilateralism. Unity, of course, is the answer. It is the greatest strength on the planet. Two weeks ago, Papua New Guinea celebrated its forty-third anniversary of independence as an unbroken democracy. We continue to consolidate our economic and structural reforms, supported by responsible monetary and fiscal policies aimed at having a balanced budget.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

14. “Such capacity-building support in our country will lead directly to business growth and the creation of more jobs for our people. However, given our small and open economy, which is subject to external forces, we join all other members of the international community in promoting respect for and the strengthening of the rules-based, international multilateral trading system. Hosting the APEC event is a huge challenge for a developing country such as ours, and people can sometimes paralyse themselves by focusing only on their perceived shortfalls or problems. But we in Papua New Guinea decided to try it. That perspective also applies to our view of the United Nations and its work. Of course, we must acknowledge and work to eliminate the great problems confronting us today.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

15. “It is the largest international event in our country’s history. We are well prepared for the leaders summit in mid-November. The world will see the stunning APEC House, an outstanding architectural creation inspired by our local culture. We thank the APEC economies for their material and organizational support, including, in particular, Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, the United States of America and many others that are too numerous to mention. To add to the Pacific island flavour of the event, we have invited all Pacific island leaders to come to our country during this time. Through APEC, we have opportunities to attract trade and foreign direct investment. It will continue to provide us with access to knowledge and to a dialogue with APEC economic leaders, who will be in attendance.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

16. “APEC itself is, in many ways, a regional example of attempts to achieve what States Members of the United Nations are working so hard to accomplish. Many issues are on the table either formally or in informal meetings on the sidelines, namely, first, prosperity through free trade, which is the founding rationale for the APEC-plus approach; secondly, cleaning up and protecting the natural environment; thirdly, inclusiveness, so that none of our precious human beings are left behind; fourthly, embracing the digital economy; and, fifthly and very importantly, gender equality. International trade is an important engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty eradication, as well as a critical source for financing development and achieving sustainable development. As the host of APEC, we have opportunities like never before.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

17. “We are guardians of a third of the global supply of tuna, the fish that feeds the world. Our land is home to vast storehouses of gold, silver, nickel, oil and gas. We are one people forged together from more than 1,000 tribes. With more than 800 distinct languages, we are the most linguistically diverse nation on Earth. Like all developing countries, we have issues to face, but we do not let them daunt us as we strive for progress and prosperity. This year, we are taking a giant stride as we host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The APEC economies encompass 39 per cent of the world’s population and 48 per cent of the world’s trade. Among the participants in the forum are the United States, the People’s Republic of China, Japan and other significant economies.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

18. “This is an exciting year for Papua New Guinea because, throughout 2018, we are hosting the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. In so doing, our country is emerging on the global stage as never before. Located in the Pacific Ocean, we are part of a vast blue continent of island nations linked by sea. We also border with South-East Asia and are within sight of Australia. We have more than 8 million people, the biggest economy and the largest land mass of the Pacific island countries. We are joining with our Pacific sisters and brothers in a mighty regional endeavour to protect the ocean and its bounty and to bring prosperity to our peoples. Nations near and far are learning that our country, Papua New Guinea, is a great treasury of riches. We have the third-largest rainforest in the world, after Brazil and the Congo.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

19. “I am pleased today to address the General Assembly on behalf of my Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Peter Paire O’Neill, and the Government and the people of Papua New Guinea. I congratulate you, Madam President, and the people of Ecuador on your election as the first woman leader from the Latin American and the Caribbean region to preside over the General Assembly. You can count on Papua New Guinea as a partner committed to supporting your work during your presidency. I would also like to thank the outgoing President, His Excellency Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, for his excellent work in the past year. It is also important to commend the leadership of the Secretary-General for the reform of the United Nations and its systems, the United Nations being an organization that is so fundamental to the peace, prosperity and security of the world.”

    2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)

20. “Let us not leave anyone — particularly those of us in SIDS and LDCs — behind, drowning. We must strive to come together in accordance with the rule of law for a better, more secure and prosperous world.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

21. “The 2015 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Declaration on Climate Change Action also expresses an expectation that there will be access to financial resources for climate change actions and resilience in vulnerable developing countries; recognition of the special circumstances and vulnerability of SIDS, particularly those in the Pacific, and the least developed countries (LDCs); support for inclusion in the Paris outcome document of loss and damage as a critical and stand-alone element, building on the ongoing work of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage; and finally, recognition of impacts of climate change on women and youth, the elderly, the disabled, indigenous peoples and other vulnerable and marginalized groups, acknowledging their contributions to effective implementation of the Paris outcome document.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

22. “The recent Pacific Island Forum summit in Port Moresby adopted the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Declaration on Climate Change Action. Leaders were deeply concerned about the serious effects and impacts of climate change, particularly on national and regional development and security issues. Among other things, the Pacific island leaders declared that an increase of 1.5°C would severely exacerbate the particular challenges facing the most vulnerable smaller island States of the Pacific and urged that all efforts be made to keep us within the global temperature goal, as noted by the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC at its twentieth session, in its decision 1/CP.20.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

23. “Along with other Pacific island States, Papua New Guinea looks forward to the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris and hopes that a new comprehensive and legally binding climate agreement will be adopted to set the schedules for the reduction of carbon emissions from both the developed and developing world. The most imminent threat resulting from sea level rise due to climate change is the forced displacement of populations and complete inundation and loss of sovereign territories, particularly in Pacific small island developing States. We therefore call on the Security Council to deal decisively with the implications of climate change and security issues.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

24. “We call upon development partners to assist us in addressing various challenges related to the oceans, including illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing in our territorial waters. 15-29876 23/26 A/70/PV.24 01/10/2015 Climate change poses imminent dangers with wide-ranging implications, including threats not only to human security, survival and development, but also to the entire global ecosystem. Our Climate Change Management Act is possibly the first legislation of its kind in the Pacific islands. It provides for funding arrangements to assist in the adaptation to climate change.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

25. “In that respect, Papua New Guinea has made modest financial contributions to Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Niue, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, as well as to various regional entities including the Pacific Islands Forum, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the Melanesian Spearhead Group, to add value to regional partnerships. The Pacific region continues to attach critical importance to ensuring the sustainable development, management and conservation of the Pacific Ocean for our peoples’ livelihoods, food security and economic development. In this regard, we welcome SDG 14, on conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

26. “Through this Framework, Papua New Guinea committed $100 million for 2014-2018 to its regional outreach programme, to support Pacific SIDS in critical areas of development such as good governance, education, health, capacity-building, climate change, relief assistance and natural disaster reconstruction efforts. Our assistance to Pacific SIDS exemplifies and promotes the spirit of South-South cooperation, and we encourage others to join us in similar partnerships.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

27. “The current United Nations system requires urgent reform, and we support the efforts of the Secretary-General in that regard. On Security Council reform, we welcome the General Assembly’s recent adoption of decision 69/560, on equitable distribution and representation in the Council’s membership. Additionally, Papua New Guinea supports the initiative to review the use of the veto power in the Security Council, particularly during times of grave humanitarian crisis and mass atrocities. In the regional context, we are fully supportive of the 2014 Pacific Islands Forum reforms, whereby a new regional development road map — the Framework for Pacific Regionalism — was adopted to promote greater regional cooperation, integration and connectivity.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

28. “Papua New Guinea welcomes the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. This global mechanism is essential, given the increasing frequency and severity of climate-induced natural disasters, particularly in our Pacific islands region. Recognizing the need for better preparation for timely responses to disasters and crisis situations, the Pacific subregional grouping — the Melanesian Spearhead Group — is in the process of establishing a humanitarian and emergency technical response coordination centre. We welcome technical and capacity-building assistance from the international community to support our efforts, as provided for under international agreements, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway. The world has changed since the formation of the United Nations 70 years ago.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

29. “We are currently working closely with the Government of Australia by providing an asylum-seeker processing facility and contributing to finding lasting solutions to the global challenge. We strongly believe that it is high time for the global community to seriously address the root causes of the refugee situation and the forced displacement of people and families. The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons remains a serious threat to national and global peace, security and development. In that light, Papua New Guinea has prioritized policy initiatives and programmes to curb the importation and trading of firearms. Papua New Guinea reaffirms its commitment to upholding and protecting fundamental human rights. Our national population policy 2015-2024 recognizes that human rights are closely intertwined with sustainable development.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

30. “Those security concerns, including transnational crime and international terrorism, if not adequately contained, will have proliferating cross-border effects on global peace, stability and economic prosperity, including for us in the Pacific Islands region. Papua New Guinea echoes the calls on all conflicting parties to amicably discuss and resolve their differences under the mandate of the Charter of the United Nations, with a view to maintaining global peace and security. Papua New Guinea is proud to contribute to the United Nations and regional peacekeepers in South Sudan and Darfur. We hope to increase our deployment numbers as our economy grows. The global refugee crisis has reached Papua New Guinea. We have received refugees and asylum seekers since independence.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

31. “Papua New Guinea is part of the global economy and, as such, seeks a stable, equitable international economic and financial architecture to support our efforts in advancing human development. The challenge for Papua New Guinea is to translate enhanced economic growth and other transformations into improved practical human development outcomes, in order to achieve our National Vision 2050. That should then result in the achievement of the SDGs. As we gather here today, there are many conflicts worldwide, with millions of people displaced and forced 22/26 15-29876 01/10/2015 A/70/PV.24 to leave their homes under risky conditions, in search of safety and security. Threats to peace and security hinder the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

32. “Those policies cover the areas of population, water and sanitation, hygiene, free basic health services and tuition-free education. The free-education policy has led to the enrolment in schools of an additional 2 million children in the past two years. Papua New Guinea has laid a strong foundation for development in the past decade. This has resulted in unprecedented economic growth, which reached double digits in 2012. However, the current depression in international commodity prices and stock markets has negatively impacted the country’s economic performance. We are taking steps to ensure that the recent adverse conditions do not jeopardize the positive gains made in the past 10 years.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

33. “Consistent with its 2014 national strategy for responsible sustainable development, Papua New Guinea recognizes that a healthy, well-educated population is the underlying driver for development. The principle of responsible, sustainable development means that we do not conduct ourselves in a manner that will compromise future generations. The high-level political forum must support national, regional and global efforts with respect to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and avoid issues such as those that undermined the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development. The Government of Papua New Guinea has adopted enabling national policies, strategies and plans to provide an environment conducive to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the SDGs.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

34. “We commend the theme of the general debate, “The United Nations at 70: a new commitment to action”, and pledge our support to the presidency in ensuring the effective implementation of the transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) that was adopted unanimously a few days ago. As Papua New Guinea celebrates its fortieth year of nationhood, we also join the United Nations family this year in marking the founding of the United Nations 70 years ago. My Government is committed to working in close partnership with all stakeholders to implement the post-2015 development agenda, which in turn must be nationally owned and driven. We can succeed only when countries truly own and lead their national development plans and strategies, while integrating the 2030 Agenda.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

35. “On behalf of the Government and the people of Papua New Guinea, I congratulate the President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session on his election. We also pay tribute to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, Foreign Minister of Uganda, for his able leadership as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session and for steering the course for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda. Furthermore, we extend our gratitude to the Secretary- General for his unfailing commitment and visionary leadership of the United Nations, thereby ensuring that the spirit of the Charter remains an enduring pillar for our collective well-being as we retool it to meet the emerging challenges and opportunities of the twenty- first century and beyond.”

    2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)

36. “At this time next year we will be celebrating 40 years of nation-building in Papua New Guinea, just as the United Natons commemorates its seventieth anniversary. We continue to be a proud, united country of many diverse cultures and peoples speaking more than 800 languages. We are also rapidly transforming our traditional way of life to that of a modern country in just one generation. In conclusion, I recommit my country to the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations and pledge to work closely with all other Member States to collaborate on solutions to the many issues we all face as humankind.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

37. “We need to recommit ourselves to the areas where the Organization has been successful, and in other areas we need to build adequate systems. Our ultimate objective must be to promote a more effective, more accountable, more responsive and more caring United Nations — a United Nations capable of meeting the challenges of the twenty-first century. Papua New Guinea therefore shares the President’s intention to further reform, rejuvenate and strengthen the Security Council to allow for equitable geographic representation. Regrettably, that important organ does not reflect today’s geopolitical realities. We again join many other Member States in calling for the reform of the Security Council in both categories of membership.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

38. “Papua New Guinea urges the implementation of the report and conclusions of the United Nations visiting mission to New Caledonia this year, and thereby calls on the United Nations and the international community, particularly the administering Power, to support the process of decolonization under the Noumea Accord. The Summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group in June 2013 supported through a declaration the efforts of the Front de libération nationale kanak et socialiste in New Caledonia. Papua New Guinea strongly believes that the international community is a better, more secure and harmonious place because of the United Nations. Certainly there are areas in the United Nations where reform is required, as is the case with any large organization.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

39. “The world does not need that; rather, we must recommit our efforts for global disarmament that supports a transformative development agenda that brings long-lasting improvement in the livelihoods of people everywhere. The Ebola crisis is a concern that is not limited just to West Africa. It is an international crisis, one which we, the international community, must address together as we have done with severe acute respiratory syndrome and HIV/AIDS. Those diseases and pandemics do not recognize national sovereign borders. Like other countries, Papua New Guinea has taken appropriate measures to address the potential spread of Ebola. We note with concern that progress in the Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism has been slow. We need to strengthen efforts to complete that process.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

40. “We must rebuke and unite against the rising tide of intolerance, bigotry and hatred under various banners. We again condemn terrorism in all its manifestations. We join the international community to combat that global threat. Our support for Security Council resolution 2178 (2014) against terrorism, which was recently adopted, is a reaffirmation that inhuman atrocities committed cannot and should not be condoned by the international community. Those responsible for such inhuman atrocities must be held accountable. We are also concerned by the rising tensions between and within certain countries and the re-emergence of the ugly head of another potential arms race.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

41. “My Government welcomes and pledges our support for the President’s timely agenda for strengthening international peace and security. As a responsible Member of the United Nations, we are committed to fostering global peace and security. As such, my country is deploying a modest level of troops to the United Nations peacekeeping missions in the Sudan and South Sudan. As our capacity grows, we intend to contribute more. We are concerned about the increasing conflicts and tensions in many parts of the world, particularly those involving non-State actors. An unacceptable heavy toll of destruction is exacted upon millions of innocent children, women and men, often uprooted from their homes, dislocated and downtrodden and their dignity humiliated.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

42. “I am pleased to inform the Assembly that my Government has committed record funding of $10 million this year for various initiatives, including partnering with the United Nations Population Fund to make available 40,000 contraceptive implants as important intervention measures for the health of our women and girls of child-bearing age. That will be scaled up to $20 million by 2015. My Government, in partnership with our development partners, is also investing in upgrading vital midwifery skills, along with enhancing our health referral systems to address complicated pregnancies. As a member of the Executive Board of UNICEF, we will promote and participate in the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

43. “In addition, we are giving priority to small and medium enterprises to drive national development. Furthermore, my Government is developing a national statistics development strategy to provide a road map for Papua New Guinea to continually improve and update the collection and management of its statistical information in order to improve decision-making. That includes embarking on a national biometric identification card system to record and maintain the population information of our citizens. Despite our economic growth, social issues remain a challenge. My Government values our women and girls, who constitute half of our population, as equal development partners. We are making sure that gender empowerment and equality continue to be a cornerstone of our responsible sustainable development. We therefore support the work of UN-Women.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

44. “Our Government is fully committed to ensuring that we manage the transformation carefully and effectively. Our challenge is to ensure that the growth delivers the maximum benefit to our citizens. Recently, our Government launched a $100 million initiative with our leading national bank, the Bank of the South Pacific, to make home loans more affordable for our citizens. We are also facilitating financial inclusion services for our people. We are grateful to our development partners, including the United Nations, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, China and the European Union. My Government has helped with the capital for the first national women’s bank and for microcredit schemes to help our people at the grass- roots level become owners and drivers of their future well-being.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

45. “A key cornerstone of our development road map is a people-centred focus on population management and stabilization. It entails empowering individuals to take leadership and full responsibility to improve their livelihoods through appropriate measures. Our economy has grown over the last decade at an average rate of 6 to 8 per cent per annum, and is projected to reach 20 per cent in 2015. That growth is transforming our country, especially with revenue from the completion of our first liquefied natural gas project and its exports. This is a new economic and development age for our economy. The unprecedented and transformative economic progress will coincide with the pursuit of the post-2015 development agenda. We are clearly focused on actively participating in the process and in its implementation at the national and regional levels.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

46. “They include the bold decision to run budget deficits until 2017, which, the report notes, has enabled the nation to invest in essential areas. My Government is implementing a policy of free education for all primary-school children, resulting in an increase in school enrolments by as much as 80 per cent in some areas. We now have around 2 million children in schools. In the health sector, we are witnessing a reduction of rates in early child and maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other communicable diseases. More mothers and children are getting access to health care as a result of our free health-care policy. Our infrastructure development programme is improving Papua New Guinea’s business environment and creating opportunities for our people to participate meaningfully in national development.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

47. “Papua New Guinea will participate in those negotiations. My Government remains fully committed to those efforts because we have experienced the galvanizing impact of the MDGs, which has helped us take national ownership and develop a home-grown sustainable development paradigm. While my country’s MDG scorecard remains a work in progress, my Government has undertaken various initiatives to redress the situation. We have retailored the MDGs to our national priorities, with 88 indicators connecting them to our national development plans. A recent report by the United Nations country office on progress to achieve the MDGs was optimistic and positive. The report found that Papua New Guinea had made important strides towards achieving the MDGs, especially since the general elections in 2012.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

48. “We welcome the adoption by the General Assembly, by resolution 68/309, of the report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (A/68/970), which recommended 17 goals. We must chart a realistic path, with goals that are attainable given the necessary means of implementation. We also commend the work of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing, which is critical to the successful implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. In that respect, the Pacific island developing States note with appreciation the inclusion of the important proposed stand-alone goals on oceans and seas, sustainable energy and climate change. Along with the other proposed goals, those goals should form the basis for the intergovernmental negotiations that are to take place.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

49. “We commend the Secretary-General for convening the successful Climate Summit last week. In supporting the outcomes, we must build on the political momentum generated as we move towards Lima this year and, importantly, towards Paris in 2015, where the international community must conclude a legally binding agreement in order for us to collectively address the adverse impacts of climate change. The international community stands at an important crossroads. The imminent deadline of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the transition to the post-2015 development agenda have rightly become the centre stage of the global agenda. We support a people-centered and transformative post-2015 development agenda underpinned by global partnerships that support national ownership of sustainable development.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)

50. “While the right thing for us to do is to respond to the challenges by working smarter and harder to improve the livelihoods of people at risk, the bigger and advanced countries of the world must not only do likewise; they must also redouble their efforts in partnering with us. As part of our support to Pacific SIDS, Papua New Guinea has launched the Pacific Development Assistance Programme, which is aimed at assisting Pacific SIDS in critical areas of development such as education, health, capacity-building, climate change and the reconstruction of important infrastructure after natural disasters. We reiterate our call on the international community, including the United Nations, to work together with SIDS in the spirit of genuine and durable partnership.”

    2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)