YouSaid · the spoken record

Manasseh Sogavare

lines on the record: 154
first: 2001-09-24
most recent: 2022-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
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 intend to step up our efforts to meet our global responsibility and send more officers to other missions abroad in the near future. On the regional front, Solomon Islands would like to express its gratitude to all 15 members of the Pacific Islands Forum, including Australia and New Zealand, for their steadfast partnership and commitment to Solomon Islands over the past 13 years. The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) is winding down and will withdraw in June 2017. Solomon Islands is engaging with various partners, including Australia and New Zealand, on post-RAMSI arrangements. Solomon Islands remains committed to Sustainable Development Goal 16. We have conducted national reconciliation outreach and would like to thank the United Nations for making peacebuilding funds available for use in Solomon Islands.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Solomon Islands welcomes and supports the initiative of the Moroccan presidency of the twenty- second session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in convening a facilitative dialogue on unlocking the means of implementation to operationalize the Paris Agreement. We also welcome the decision of the Green Climate Fund to disburse $2.5 billion by December 2016. Solomon Islands is in the midst of securing financing from the Fund for one of our hydropower projects. We continue to be grateful to partners such as Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and the Republic of China for their ongoing renewable energy assistance to Solomon Islands. I am pleased to announce that Solomon Islands has just deployed five police officers for United Nations peacekeeping duties.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We hope that big emitters and industrial countries will see the urgency of preventing runaway climate change and will ratify the Paris Agreement to enable its entry into force as soon as possible. This year, scientists reported that five of our islands had been claimed by the sea as a result of human-induced sea-level rise, while six others were severely eroded. Accelerating sea-level rise and ocean acidification continue to be serious concerns for us. Delaying action on tackling climate change comes at a cost, and we in the SIDS and least-developed countries are unnecessarily put in harm’s way by the lack of commitment on the part of some.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“However, we remain concerned about the fact that ambitions under the Paris Agreement remain alarmingly low if we are to limit warming to well below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. We appeal to developed countries to scale up the ambition of their intended nationally determined contributions so as to protect the integrity of the Paris Agreement. We hope that in Marrakech we will be able to do more to establish the Agreement on firmer foundations by taking concrete steps to close the pre-2020 ambition gap. We therefore urge countries that have not ratified the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol to do so as soon as possible. I also welcome the decision taken in December by the parties to the Montreal Protocol to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons under the treaty.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The PIDF offers the Pacific island countries a seamless link to the high-level political forum processes envisaged under “The future we want”. Solomon Islands welcomes the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and I would like to congratulate the French presidency of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference for its leadership in helping to restore trust and confidence in the multilateral system. We now have the Paris Agreement, with legally binding obligations to implement the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). I am pleased to announce that Solomon Islands has ratified the Agreement and submitted its instrument of ratification two days ago. We are all duty-bound to strengthen the Agreement and make it work.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The international community must do more by establishing a global mechanism to help small island developing States (SIDS) manage populations displaced by climate change. The treaties in effect are inadequate to addressing the issue of people forced out by climate change. We call for a legal framework designed to address and protect the rights of forced climate migrants and to compensate populations affected by climate change for the loss of their livelihoods. Solomon Islands is the current Chair of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF), which is a bold attempt to address the issues of sustainable development through a structured and inclusive approach, under the tripartite leadership of Government, the private sector and civil society.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We commend the President for putting together an SDG implementation team in his Office and look forward to working with him on unlocking the means of implementation so as to realize full and effective implementation of the SDGs. I am indeed proud to say that Solomon Islands has begun the work of domesticating the Sustainable Development Goals by integrating them into our national development strategy for 2016 to 2035, which provides a clear, coherent and harmonized whole-of- Government approach to delivering on our national policies and programmes. The high-level meetings held this week to address the issue of large movements of refugees and migrants were also an opportunity to seriously examine the issue of climate-displaced populations and environmental migrants.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“He remains the first and only Secretary-General to visit Solomon Islands since we joined this body 38 years ago. It was also during his tenure that the United Nations country presence in Solomon Islands was upgraded. We have every confidence that his successor can further upgrade that presence to the status of a full-fledged country office. We remain steadfast in our commitment to working with the Secretary-General during the remaining four months of his term and thank him for his sterling service to Solomon Islands and humankind. Last year was one of agreements and the adoption of frameworks; this year must be about operationalizing the agreements and implementing the frameworks. In that regard, Solomon Islands welcomes the theme of this session, “The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world”.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“President Lykketoft worked tirelessly to strengthen the role and authority of the General Assembly. He put in place an open, inclusive and transparent process for selecting the Secretary-General, and our new Secretary-General is expected to take up office in January 2017. For the first time in 70 years, I believe, the Assembly interacted with all the candidates for the position. We wish all of them the best in their bid for the position and leave an open invitation to the incoming Secretary-General to consider visiting the Hapi Isles. Mr. Ban Ki-moon’s tenure as Secretary-General comes to a close at the end of this year. We join others in paying tribute to his exemplary leadership of our Organization. Over the years, he has worked for the benefit of all and has been a voice of reason, particularly on the issue of climate change.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“At this seventy- first session, it is indeed an honour to see a fellow Pacific islander elected for the first time as President of the General Assembly. Mr. Peter Thomson brings to the position qualities of experience, personality and leadership that are known in this Hall. Solomon Islands would like to assure him of our support and cooperation during his term in office, and we look forward to working with him on our common agenda as one of his Vice-Presidents. Our appreciation goes to his predecessor, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, whose term in office coincided with the adoptions of three development frameworks — the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In closing, I would like to state that the Solomon Islands supports multilateralism with continued integrity, courage and strength, which will give our people a message of hope, optimism and a positive future.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The international community must welcome the interest of the Republic of China on Taiwan in participating fully as equals in the proceedings of the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Solomon Islands has benefited from the Republic of China or Taiwan’s partnership with us on the Millennium Development Goals, and we will enhance our bilateral cooperation with the Republic of China on Taiwan under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1). The Sustainable Development Goals are universal in nature, and we expect our friend and partner to join the world in helping to eradicate poverty and to heal the declining health of our planet.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The next session between the States and the subcommission is scheduled for this month, and we hope that negotiations will bring about an amicable solution for all parties concerned. Solomon Islands, as a close friend of the Republic of China/Taiwan, continues to call for the Republic of China on Taiwan’s meaningful participation in our United Nations specialized bodies. The Republic of China on Taiwan continues to take on international obligations with regard to climate change and aviation. The Republic of China on Taiwan, which is among the largest economies in the world, needs to be part of the global solution in the various international frameworks.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The 20-year-old Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action remains a source of guidance and inspiration on gender equality and gender empowerment. Solomon Islands remains committed to the full, effective and accelerated implementation of the Platform, which should enable the realization of the gender-related Goals and targets under the SDGs. In 2009, Solomon Islands, as an archipelagic State, lodged four continental shelf claims with the United 24/25 15-29664 01/10/2015 A/70/PV.23 Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. One of those claims is a joint submission with the Federated States of Micronesia and Papua New Guinea on the Ontong Java Plateau. That submission is currently being examined by a United Nations subcommission of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Solomon Islands supports reform of the Security Council and calls for a SIDS-dedicated seat in an expanded Security Council. That is needed in order to ensure that SIDS security issues are meaningfully addressed in the Council. The Council will need to adapt to the ever-changing realities that we face in our world. We are pleased with the progress achieved in the negotiations on reforming the Council thus far. On the issue of gender, Solomon Islands’s three-year term on the UN-Women Executive Board comes to an end this year. We leave the Board with our Strategic Plan 2014-2017. Unfortunately, UN-Women’s work programme remains underresourced, and we therefore call on Member States to support that work.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The Declaration further calls for loss and damage to be anchored as a stand-alone chapter in the agreement, and for strong mitigation commitments in the agreement that must be espoused. It is not far from reality to say that SIDS and LDCs, such as Solomon Islands, are the front-line States when it comes to bearing the brunt of the negative impacts of existential issues such as climate change. We are concerned that the slow progress in the climate negotiations will cause uncertainties and possibilities for a climate-change-induced situation that could trigger conflicts. That uncertainty prompts Solomon Islands to seek a seat in the Security Council for the period 2031-2032, which will be one year after we have completed and taken stock of the 2030 Agenda.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Cognizant of the fact that success is founded on partnerships, the Solomon Islands Government is seeking deepened, expanded and results-oriented partnerships in the areas of economic infrastructure, hydroelectric and geothermal energy, agriculture, forestry and fisheries so as to kick-start sustainable development for our rural population in accordance with the SDGs. The leaders of the Pacific small island developing States at the Pacific Islands Development Forum Leaders’ Summit, held in September in Suva, Fiji, issued the Suva Declaration on Climate Change, calling for the coming Paris agreement to be legally binding, with a call for the global average temperature increase limit to be well below 1.5°C.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Solomon Islands welcomes the participation of new development partners, namely, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, for their humanitarian assistance to our people this year. We very much thank them. Coming from a disaster-prone region, we look forward to the World Humanitarian Summit, which is to be held in Istanbul next year. We hope the world will come together and create a new playing field to build a resilient and environmentally responsible community operating within safe limits for the planet.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“As ocean acidification increases, Solomon Islands tourism, fisheries and the livelihood of 85 per cent of our population have been put at risk. Sea-level rise has already led to land inundation, the loss of biodiversity, threats to food security and the resulting relocation of populations from low-lying islands to other parts of the country. Solomon Islands will be relocating its National Referral Hospital from its coastal location in Honiara, given the frequency and intensity of disasters threatening the entire infrastructure system. In the past year, flash floods wiped out more than 9 per cent of Solomon Islands’s gross domestic product. In 2015, we were hit by two cyclones, Chan-Hom and Raquel.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“However, more needs to be done. We call for the total lifting of the economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba, so as to normalize relations between the two States, which are a mere 90 miles apart. The issue of climate change is for Solomon Islands, like other small island developing States and least developed countries (LDCs), an existential concern. It impacts everyone, but the poorest and marginalized populations often bear the greatest burden. It is imperative that the upcoming twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Paris in December, deliver an ambitious, comprehensive and robust climate-change agreement that is inclusive and leaves no one behind.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Turning now to Solomon Islands’s relations with Cuba, we thank that fellow small island developing State for training more than 100 Solomon Islands medical students. To date, 44 doctors have graduated from medical schools in Cuba and are now back in the country. I thank Cuba for its solidarity and support to Solomon Islands. Two months ago, Solomon Islands joined the international community in celebrating a new era of relations between Cuba and United States of America. 15-29664 23/25 A/70/PV.23 01/10/2015 The restoration of relations, after 54 years, presents a new beginning for the United States to reconstruct its relations with Cuba, based on mutual respect for national sovereignty and the freedom of international trade and navigation. We welcome President Obama’s progressive easing of restrictions on Cuba.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We appeal to the Government of Indonesia to allow free and unrestricted access to the mission in the true spirit of regional cooperation. In the long term, however, the United Nations cannot shy away from the root causes of those violations. On South-South cooperation, I thank the Papua New Guinea Government for opening their educational institutions to Solomon Islands students. We acknowledge Papua New Guinea’s bilateral assistance and substantial commercial investments in people-to- people relations. Our Melanesian relations remain firmly rooted in our cultural and traditional values, which link our people now and into the future. We are forging similar economic, sociocultural and trade relations with Fiji, Vanuatu and other Pacific countries.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Solomon Islands, together with the Pacific Islands Forum, is seeking genuine dialogue and cooperation with Indonesia on that issue. The outreach is intended to resolve reported allegations of human rights violations in two of Indonesia’s ethnic Melanesian regions, namely Papua and West Papua. Solomon Islands further calls on the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to do more investigating and monitoring of the allegations of human rights abuses against ethnic Melanesians in the concerned regions of Indonesia. We would like the issue to be addressed in a timely manner. In that connection, the Pacific Islands Forum, at its recent Leaders’ Summit held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, approved the deployment of a fact-finding mission to West Papua to establish the alleged abuses of human rights there.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It is a matter that is of concern to us, and we call for more attention to be paid to the issue by the Assembly. Solomon Islands reaffirms that human rights principles are universal, indivisible, interrelated and must be treated in a fair manner. All States have a legal duty and moral responsibility to uphold, respect and promote human rights and, where necessary, to take preventive, protective and punitive measures against human rights abuses or violations, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and applicable international laws. Against that backdrop, the General Assembly is well aware of the continuing concerns regarding human rights violations in the Papua and West Papua regions of Indonesia.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We therefore reaffirm the importance of ensuring that the electoral process is addressed amicably, given that it has implications for establishing a credible referendum process that conforms to and is consistent with accepted principles and practice of self-determination as outlined in United Nations resolutions, including resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV). Solomon Islands welcomed resolution 69/103, which reaffirmed the inalienable right of the people of French Polynesia to self-determination. Solomon Islands calls on the administrative Power to fully cooperate with the work of the Special Committee. We note that 30 years of nuclear testing by the administrative Power caused widespread atomic radiation, which has resulted in considerable health and environmental concerns.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Solomon Islands calls for the full and swift implementation of the 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonized Countries and Peoples. Of interest to the MSG is the question of New Caledonia. This year marks 162 years of the French colonization of New Caledonia. That territory is entering its seminal phase as it prepares for an act of self-determination in 2018. It is our fervent hope that the process will succeed with the full backing of the French Government. We wish them well in that historic undertaking. Having said that, Solomon Islands cautiously welcomes the fragile consensus reached in addressing New Caledonia’s electoral issues by the Special Committee on the Noumea Accord.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The Melanesian subregion is rich in biodiversity, and its peoples speak a quarter of the world’s languages. 22/25 15-29664 01/10/2015 A/70/PV.23 Solomon Islands is exploring the establishment of an indigenous biocultural platform to preserve our traditional knowledge and our rich biodiversity. At the recent MSG Summit, leaders of the Group agreed to foster more comprehensive economic cooperation on trade, aviation, fisheries, shipping and finance among its members and beyond the subregion. The Group further agreed to establish a regional police academy. At the summit, the MSG leaders also conferred associate membership on Indonesia and observer status on the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“That regional cooperation initiative has done much in terms of the restoration of the rule of law and the rehabilitation of mechanisms of Government, particularly those responsible for peacebuilding and ensuring the maintenance of law and justice. The RAMSI drawdown process will end by 30 June 2017. The assistance from our regional neighbours is greatly appreciated. Solomon Islands assumed the chairmanship of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in June this year. The Group is made up of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Front de libération nationale kanak et socialiste of the Territory of New Caledonia and my own country, Solomon Islands. The MSG countries make up at least 95 per cent of the total population of the Pacific small islands developing States (SIDS).”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Likewise, my Government has launched an ambitious governance-reform programme that includes the enactment of anti-corruption and whistle-blowers legislation and the establishment of an anti-corruption commission. Similarly, my Government will introduce legislation to establish growth centres and industrial zones in the rural sector for the purpose of redistributing economic and social opportunities to the broader community. At the regional level, Solomon Islands greatly appreciates its partnership with the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), which includes the participation of the 15 members of the Pacific Island Forum.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The democratic coalition-for-change Government that I lead was formed following last year’s successful national general election using a biometric voter registration system for the first time. We are pleased with the system and will be building on its success, along with other electoral reforms. I thank all partners, including the United Nations, Australia and the European Union, for supporting our biometric registration system, and we seek partnerships to invest in the next phase of strengthening our democratic institution. The review of our Political Parties Integrity Act is a priority that my Government is working on to further strengthen political stability in Solomon Islands.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I am pleased to note that the United Nations is organizing competitive recruitment exams in our country this year. We are grateful for that outreach and look forward to filling our quota, while enriching the diversity of the Secretariat. On the United Nations country presence, Solomon Islands welcomed resolution 69/318, calling for an enhanced United Nations country presence in the Pacific region, particularly at the country level. We welcome new thinking with regard to establishing subregional offices within the Pacific region, noting the distance and the diverse and peculiar characteristics of the region. In that regard, Solomon Islands offers to host one of the subregional centres.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We call for a more accountable, democratic and transparent process for such appointments. To that end, the Assembly, as the chief deliberative and most democratic and representative organ of our Organization, must play a central role in the selection process. Solomon Islands reiterates its interest in serving in United Nations peacekeeping missions. We have a well-trained police force that is ready, willing and able to serve alongside other United Nations officers. Our Royal Solomon Islands Police Force has a programme in place to achieve that goal. We intend to see our first team of officers out in the field during the current session of the General Assembly. Solomon Islands remains under-represented among the United Nations Secretariat staff.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Transformative change comes about only if we think big, smart and innovatively to achieve the 17 global SDGs and the 169 targets. It has to be driven by a new form of partnership, anchored in a new spirit of solidarity, fostered by new political relationships and a paradigm shift in international cooperation — one that guarantees prosperity for all. Solomon Islands registers its appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the sterling leadership that he has provided the Organization with over the past nine years. We join the Secretary-General and the General Assembly in the call for a more open process in the selection of a new Secretary-General, who is due in office by January 2017. Over the past seven decades, the permanent five members of the Security Council have selected the previous Secretaries- General.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Sam Kutesa, for his strong leadership in guiding the historic development framework, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (resolution 70/1), which the Assembly adopted last week. For developing countries, what is required is to translate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 15-29664 21/25 A/70/PV.23 01/10/2015 of the new Agenda into action. That can happen only if the SDGs are matched with the necessary resources, in accordance with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, so that the international community can deliver the necessary means of implementation and convert the Goals into action. Humankind’s survival depends on the world coming together on our shared 2030 Agenda. It offers us a last hope of getting it right. Incremental action is not an option.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“That has meant that, multilaterally, we are spending more on security than on development issues. We need to reverse that trend by striving to invest more in peace through strategies and programmes and less on military solutions and by addressing security and sustainable development. Where there are situations of potential conflict, we need to work with all Governments concerned through an inclusive mechanism that avoids unilateral decisions, which always result in protracted conflicts and strife and cause immense suffering to the people who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of peacebuilding efforts. In that regard, the United Nations, on the occasion of its seventieth anniversary, must demonstrate its commitment to greater action. Our appreciation goes to the former President of the General Assembly, Mr.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Solomon Islands is part of the historic journey of the United Nations. When we first joined the Organization in 1978, there were only 145 members. Today, membership has increased to 193. At present, more than two thirds of the Members of the United Nations are from the developing world and are all seeking a fair, equitable and rules-based multilateral system. That is a sentiment that is echoed in this Hall every year. As long as wealth continues to reside with 20 per cent of the world’s population, a global system manifesting such a divide will always face challenges in attempting to respond meaningfully to our collective agenda, even though it recognizes the fairness and equity that we all desire. The number of conflicts that the United Nations deals with has also multiplied. We now have 16 peacekeeping missions.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The Government and people of Solomon Islands join me in conveying our warm greetings to the General Assembly. I extend to you, Mr. President, our felicitations on your election to preside over the General Assembly at its seventieth session and assure you of Solomon Islands’ support and cooperation during your term in office. As we commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, I wish to pay tribute to the 51 founding leaders who created the Organization in 1945. The United Nations represented peace, security and cooperation then, and continues to do so now. On this auspicious occasion, Solomon Islands reaffirms its faith in and commitment to the Organization and its Charter. Having said that, much has happened since 1945, and the world has changed over time.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It is a critical election, as it will confer a new mandate for the next Government to continue with the ever-important responsibilities of ensuring the rule of law, rebuilding the economy and further consolidating the current peace process. Those are difficult tasks, but we are determined to write a new page in our young history — a new page that should provide for ethnic harmony and co- existence, comprehensive and lasting peace, economic prosperity, and, above all, engender and nurture a better future and hope for our children and future generations.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Dialogue is the only means to resolve differences, and parity and mutual respect must be the foundation upon which both sides can build trust and confidence. The United Nations is the best forum to nurture that trust and confidence. The issue of Taiwan’s membership is consistent with the United Nations principle of universality. But, above all, it must be acknowledged that the Republic of China on Taiwan is fully committed to fulfilling the obligations of the United Nations Charter. Finally, next month my country is going to the polls to elect a new parliament, and thereafter a new Government will be formed. This election manifests our continuing commitment to constitutional and parliamentary democracy.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Taiwan has continued to share its development experiences with the wider international community when given the opportunity. Its continuing assistance during humanitarian crises also deserves full commendation. Solomon Islands’ appeal for Taiwan’s representation and participation in the United Nations system is premised on the principles of justice, dignity and the right of the people of Taiwan to be heard and represented in the international arena and for them to be able to enjoy the same benefits that the rest of us enjoy. My Government firmly believes that Taiwan’s 4 membership in the United Nations will effectively serve to facilitate peaceful dialogue between the two Chinas and provide a solid basis for a lasting reconciliation between them.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In what is surely one of the bitter ironies of our times, free and democratic Taiwan, home to 23 million people and a peace-loving country, has been excluded not only from the United Nations and all its specialized agencies but also from nearly every other intergovernmental organization in the world. Although the Republic of China on Taiwan willingly abides by international norms, standards and obligations, it is not able to enjoy the same normal standard privileges and treatment accorded to others. This is simply unfair and unjust. The time has come to reconsider the exclusion of the Republic of China from the United Nations. The Republic of China on Taiwan was a founding member of the Organization. It is a model of economic success and democratic politics.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“that each and every human being deserves to live in dignity, be well nourished, be educated, have access to decent health care and decent work, be respected and consulted, and be able to develop their talents and creativity. Our challenge is to strengthen the United Nations and other international institutions to strive more effectively towards that vision. Solomon Islands remains committed to the reform initiatives of the Secretary- General. This session should also continue with efforts to make the work of the General Assembly more efficient and effective. Furthermore, discussions on the reform of the Security Council have gone on for too long without substantial progress. Greater flexibility is required in order for this process to be completed. The goal is to have a more democratic, transparent and effective Security Council.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The unique circumstances of small island developing States must be fully understood by the international community as we strive to address the serious threats of natural disasters, climate change and sea-level rise. The Kyoto Protocol remains a significant first step on the path to ensuring effective global action to combat climate change. The international community must now build on the outcomes of the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention and work further towards the resolution of all outstanding negotiating issues. We must recall the vision which the United Nations was created to serve, i.e.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held in Johannesburg next year, 10 years after Rio, should reach consensus on ways and means to ensure wider and effective implementation of Agenda 21 and subsequent international programmes, including the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. The ocean and its bounty continue to be a principal resource for Solomon Islands. Our priorities concerning oceans include sustainable fisheries management, habitat protection and avoidance of marine pollution. For us, the success of national development planning depends significantly on the continued health of the marine environment.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Development partners must continue to positively consider measures such as writing off debts; for even the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative and the Paris Club initiatives to address the problems of highly indebted and poor developing countries have been cumbersome and slow. The International Conference on Financing for Development, which is to be held in Mexico next March, offers a unique opportunity for achieving consensus on how to mobilize new and additional resources for development. Solomon Islands looks forward to participating actively in the Conference. Agenda 21 remains a valid blueprint for the management of the Earth’s environment and the sustainable development of its resources.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Undoubtedly, investment of overseas development assistance resources to support our efforts can accelerate development. Donor countries and agencies must be more inclined to ensure that they do not give with one hand, only to take away with the other. In a globalizing world, donor partners’ policies 3 in virtually every sector — including trade and investment, financial systems and the environment — must help promote development for the poorest. In the absence of that, the goal of attaining sustainable development and managing globalization in a way that maximizes its benefits for all will be difficult to realize. In the same spirit, I call on the development partners to consider more practical and realistic measures to deal with the huge amount of debt burden that poor countries continue to shoulder.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Development assistance could, therefore, be a means of conflict prevention and an instrument for peace-building. There is a clear imperative to address the poverty and inequality that exist among our countries. But there is also an irrefutable common interest for doing so, as many of today’s problems — especially in the least developed countries — are rooted in underdevelopment and poverty. The timely implementation of the outcomes of the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries is therefore imperative. We are fully aware that primary responsibility to put in place the necessary reforms for poverty reduction and economic growth lies with the least developed countries. Education, infrastructure development and improving basic health services remain priority issues for Solomon Islands.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“My Government has adopted a National Peace Plan and Programme of Action aimed at addressing the root causes of the conflict through meaningful dialogue and discussion and by encouraging a more participatory approach in the country’s socio-economic and political development. The recent ruling by our judiciary affirming the constitutional legitimacy of my Government has given us additional resolve to implement this Plan and Programme of Action. In this connection, the understanding and support of the international community, in particular our development partners, is important. Development cooperation should strive to reduce the vulnerability of societies to violent conflicts. Aid should go beyond immediate humanitarian needs. It has to be linked to peace-building initiatives in order to make peace sustainable.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We are confident that the review process will soon resume in order to positively consolidate the ongoing peace process. At this juncture, I wish to acknowledge the contributions of our development partners towards the peace process, in particular the Governments of the Republic of China on Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand and the countries of the European Union. My Government is also grateful to civil society institutions, including the churches and non-governmental organizations, for their efforts, especially at the height of the crisis. The challenge is far from over. With a shattered economy and a delicate peace process, the task of rebuilding the country and ensuring lasting peace is formidable. It requires the patience, cooperation and commitment of all Solomon Islanders.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“One cannot be achieved if the other fails. In most situations, including in our case, peace takes precedence, as no rebuilding is possible without security and stability. My Government has worked resolutely to bring the warring factions to the table. Our efforts culminated in the signing of the Townsville Peace Agreement in October 2000 and of the Marau Peace Agreement earlier this year. The Townsville Agreement led to the cessation of the conflict. However, progress in the implementation of the Agreement’s disarmament provisions has been slow. With a considerable number of high-powered weapons still to be handed in, the peace process remains fragile. A review of the Agreement was begun recently, but it has been temporarily suspended.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)