YouSaid · the spoken record

Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas

lines on the record: 74
first: 2016-09-24
most recent: 2019-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
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

“The United Nations Charter is our moral compass — a compass that, among other things, reminds us that we must save future generations from the scourge of war, reaffirm our faith in fundamental human rights, and promote social progress and better standards of life in a freer world. Let us all work together to realize the hope embodied in the United Nations Charter.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The development concerns of small island States, whether in regard to climate change, the ocean or poverty, are real, and we will resolve them only at the global level. These challenges make us extremely vulnerable. As small countries, we do not have an army or nuclear weapons. The world community may mock us, look down on us and not consider us as strategic partners, but one thing is certain: our development concerns are also those of humankind. Shying away from the challenges hindering our development also means ignoring humankind’s hope. After all, the global community as a whole stands together if it collaborates for the well-being of the vulnerable and the most disadvantaged. Such efforts will ensure peace, security and prosperity in the world.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I firmly believe that we have an obligation to work together towards lifting the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed on Cuba. Lifting the embargo will, inter alia, allow the Cuban people to have access to and enjoy fundamental human rights. In recent years, the world has undergone rapid and profound changes that present complex challenges, including climate change. These challenges urge us to collaborate and create innovative and sincere partnerships in order to achieve our SDGs. We must raise our ambitions and renew our commitment through concrete actions if we are to win the fight against poverty and climate change and to ensure inclusive economic growth that takes into account our people’s aspirations to well-being.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We call for the United Nations system to be used to find solutions to these human rights abuses. Accordingly, the resolution of the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum calls on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit the province of West Papua to conduct an assessment, supported by concrete evidence, of the human rights situation. Vanuatu supports this resolution, and calls on Indonesia, as a neighbouring and partner country in the region, to do the right thing and to act responsibly and authorize such a mission. I would like to recall the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and reaffirm our faith in fundamental human rights, the dignity and worth of a human person and the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Inclusiveness remains my Government’s priority, particularly to ensure that women and persons with disabilities participate fully in the economic and political development of our society. Many countries in the world are now free from colonial rule; however, in my region, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and West Papua are still struggling for self-determination. Vanuatu calls on the administering Powers to respect the processes established by the United Nations that allow peoples to express their views on the self-determination of their country, such as in the recent referendum in New Caledonia. The same process should be followed in the case of French Polynesia. Human rights violations are taking place in the world today. Vanuatu strongly condemns the human rights violations committed against the indigenous people of West Papua.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The Government’s policy of universal access to education through public subsidies covers preschool, primary and secondary education and will help us achieve the SDGs and be well prepared to meet future economic requirements. Since our country is an archipelago, it is very expensive and difficult to provide affordable universal health-care services to our population. Vanuatu is facing an increase in non-communicable diseases that is weighing heavily on our meagre financial resources, competing with resources that should have been invested in primary health care. We have an important task ahead of us to train our health professionals and improve our medical infrastructure to meet the growing demand for health care. Even with a promising economy, we must ensure that our growth is sustained and inclusive.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Similarly, we support the establishment of a United Nations office in the North Pacific, which will enable the Organization to strengthen its presence and extend its services to Pacific island countries. Vanuatu is a young country, with 60 per cent of the population under the age of 15. Given the young population, we are fortunate to be able to harness the genius and potential of this young generation so that it can make a significant contribution to the development of our country. My Government’s current priority is to ensure that our young workforce is well equipped and productively integrated into the labour market. We are realizing that by investing very heavily in technical and higher education.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“In August, the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum met in Tuvalu and adopted the Kainaki II Declaration on the need to act quickly to combat climate change. Vanuatu supports regional commitments endorsed by the Blue Pacific and made 10 global appeals for urgent action on climate change. We seek the support of our development partners in order to achieve these objectives, in partnership with multilateral bodies. The role of the multilateral system in managing our challenges through the United Nations remains, above all, broad and crucial. It is therefore essential to provide unstinting support to the Secretary-General in his efforts to reform the Organization, strengthen its role and provide it with the means to enable it to carry out its mandate appropriately.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Secondly, we must increase funding for addressing climate change, provide for the rapid replenishment of such financial facilities as the Green Climate Fund, and simplify access to those funds. Thirdly, we must establish innovative instruments for financing the risks of natural disasters. Fourthly, we must find solutions to better manage the risk-reduction measures adopted by major international banks, which prevent correspondent banking relationships with our national banks. These measures limit our trade with the world and slow our efforts to achieve the SDGs. Fifthly, we must propose innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the markets in small island States, which, in particular, prevent other key players from participating in our economies and contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We have also banned the use of single-use plastics and will intensify our efforts in that area. Vanuatu will submit a report at the second United Nations Ocean Conference, to be held in Portugal in 2020. In addition, there are some maritime conventions that Vanuatu will ratify before the end of the year. In view of the complex sustainable development challenges that small island States must face, I would like to highlight five main areas, which I believe require that substantive partnerships be forged among the United Nations and other multilateral forums. First, we must ensure that vulnerable countries, such as Vanuatu, continue to have access to subsidized funding.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Our extreme vulnerability means that we will be increasingly dependent on the multilateral system. Even though we are not a major contributor of greenhouse gases, we are committed to working with the international community to redouble our efforts to reduce the rise in global temperatures, so that, by 2030, 100 per cent of our electricity will be generated by renewable and sustainable energy. This effort is part of our nationally determined contributions. The health of our oceans is threatened by irresponsible human activities and climate change, which is particularly worrisome for Vanuatu, a part of whose economy depends on marine resources. Vanuatu therefore developed an ocean policy in 2017. We put in place a planning process for the marine space to help balance the need for the protection and sustainable use of our marine resources.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlighted that the world is moving towards a rise in temperature of 3°C and that small island developing States, such as Vanuatu, will continue to face natural disasters, sea-level rise, droughts and ocean acidification. For small island developing States, climate change remains the greatest threat to achieving the goals we have set. The challenges we face were presented to the Secretary-General during his recent visit to the Pacific Islands, including to my country, Vanuatu. I would like to sincerely thank the Secretary-General for his visit and I hope that our concerns will be integrated into the agenda of the United Nations and that the appropriate measures will be taken to resolve our challenges.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“In its 39 years of existence, Vanuatu has been a small open island economy and, in recent years, we have experienced sustained economic growth, underpinned by good macroeconomic stability and a responsible and effective Government. Our growth projections remain promising. While we are satisfied with such achievements, Vanuatu still has a long way to go to achieve its stated objectives. And that is complicated by the fact that we are extremely vulnerable to natural disasters and external shocks in the global economy. The United Nations has described Vanuatu as the most vulnerable country in the world and, given this harsh and complex reality, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be difficult.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We all know that the world is increasingly interconnected and that global challenges cannot be solved by any one country alone. Multilateral institutions — first and foremost, the United Nations — are becoming increasingly necessary to address those challenges. Continued unilateralism will lead to an unsafe world. We witnessed it in Europe during the twentieth century, with its two world wars. We are also in a world where, while some fear the effects of climate change, many are dying of hunger, the atrocities of wars, natural disasters and non-communicable diseases. To address these challenges effectively and to build confidence in the current multilateral order, it is essential that multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations, continue to undergo reform in order to become more inclusive.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We meet as the world faces complex challenges: conflicts with humanitarian crises are on the rise, there is an increased risk of an arms race, terrorism remains a threat, human rights violations are widespread, the environment is undergoing rapid change due to the impacts of climate change, the technological revolution is redefining the future of work and the global economy is increasingly uncertain. Such complex global challenges come at a time when the multilateral environment is under enormous pressure owing to the increase in populism and xenophobia, which calls for more multilateral. These developments reflect the erosion of trust in multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, to provide lasting solutions for peace, security and development.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I would like to convey to the people and the Government of Tonga our deepest condolences and sympathy. I would also like to convey my sincere condolences to the Government and the people of France following the death of Mr. Jacques Chirac, a friend of Vanuatu and a well-known figure in the fight against global warming. The theme of the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly — “Galvanizing multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion” — is relevant, given the challenges currently faced by the international community, and fully in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“First of all, allow me to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande of Nigeria on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session. I assure him of Vanuatu’s support during his mandate. I firmly believe that his presidency will be successful and effective. I would also like to express my deep gratitude to Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, outgoing President, for her leadership and the exemplary manner in which she steered the work of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. Let me express Vanuatu’s solidarity with the Government and the people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, who are affected by the destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian. At the start of the month, the Pacific region lost one of its leaders — the Prime Minister of Tonga.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We hope to be able to count on our development partners to assist us with support measures that will enable us to attain developed country status with improved conditions. I would like to conclude by reiterating that Vanuatu believes and trusts in multilateralism. The United Nations has made this world a better place compared to what it was 70 years ago. While much progress has been made since then, there is still much work ahead of us if we want to maintain the relevance of the United Nations. International problems require appropriate solutions. We need to find ways to act collectively and inclusively in order to solve those problems. We must continually strive to reform the Organization in order to make it more effective so that it meets our expectations today and in the years to come.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“In that regard, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the development partners who have assisted the Government and the people of Vanuatu in these difficult times and are helping to fund activities that improve the living conditions of our people. My Government welcomes the opportunity to present Vanuatu’s national voluntary review in 2019, and we count on the support and comments of delegations as we share our progress, shortcomings and challenges. In implementing Vanuatu’s sustainable development plan, we believe it is essential to create sincere and sustainable partnerships across all sectors and with multiple stakeholders. Vanuatu will emerge from its status as a least-developed country by December 2020.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Our national sustainable development goals are people-oriented, transformative and indivisible in order to strike a balance to the three dimensions of sustainable development. We recognize that the eradication of poverty in all its forms and aspects is an essential condition for sustainable development. However, my Government cannot bear the immense responsibility of achieving sustainable development in our country alone, a responsibility that is all the more difficult given that we are exposed to increasingly fierce natural disasters. Most recently, my Government had to evacuate some 11,000 people from Ambae Island owing to increased volcanic activity. That poses a financial challenge in the context of an already limited national budget.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We also call on our leading counterparts around the world to pay more attention to those inhumane acts and, together with Indonesia, to stop all forms of violence and find common ground with nationalists so as to facilitate the establishment of a process that will allow them to freely express their choice. According to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, we all have an obligation to work together to lift the economic, trade and financial embargoes imposed on the Republic of Cuba, and lifting those bans will, among other things, allow the Cuban people to benefit and enjoy their human rights. My Government’s top priority is to ensure national sustainable development for our population by 2030, and we aim to leave no one behind.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“However, the situation still remains desperate for millions of others aspiring to achieve self-determination. Vanuatu attaches great importance to the work of the Special Committee on Decolonization. The elimination of all forms of colonialism must remain a top priority on the United Nations agenda, in the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations. New Caledonia is on a path to deciding its political destiny through a referendum to be held on 4 November. We appeal to the international community to support the right of the people of New Caledonia to fully participate in that referendum and, above all, to ensure that it takes place in a free and fair manner. The international community is witnessing violence and human rights abuses against West Papua nationals. We urge the Human Rights Council to investigate those abuses.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Vanuatu welcomes the mobilization of the Pacific Islands Forum to establish a new implementation agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which represents an important opportunity for the Pacific region. Vanuatu maintains its position on denuclearization. Pacific island countries, including our brothers and sisters in the Federated States of Micronesia, continue to be exposed to ongoing threats from radioactive contaminants, including remnants from the Second World War and unexploded ordnance. We therefore call on Member States to join us in ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Since the inception of the United Nations, some 750 million people from more than 80 former colonies have gained political independence.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“It is therefore important to implement sustainable policies for the sound management and conservation of the oceans that can ensure a future for our peoples. We welcome opportunities to support our regional efforts to protect our oceans. Vanuatu, like other countries, has unresolved issues regarding the delimitation of its maritime boundaries, which is a very important step in our independence process, and we are determined to resolve those issues. We are committed to and are encouraged by the decision of the Pacific leaders, under the auspices of the Pacific Islands Forum, to bring the negotiations forward with a view to finishing and reporting in 2019.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Climate change threatens the sustainability of the environment, sustainable development and people’s inalienable rights, both now and in the future. It represents a real danger to the survival of future generations and to low-lying countries in the Pacific. The current pledges being made through nationally determined contributions are simply not enough to reverse climate change. The parties to the Paris Agreement must intensify their ambitions to reach the agreed target limit of no more than 1.5° C. For vulnerable countries, especially in our region, a failure to do so would mean even greater exposure to more frequent natural disasters. As the largest oceanic continent in the world, the Pacific islands region is a vital source of food and income for our population.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“But how to attain that goal remains unclear. We call for prioritizing those commitments and putting in place a specific road map for mobilizing and accumulating the promised funds as soon as possible, because climate change is upon us. We also call for more flexible access to climate funding by simplifying validation procedures, so that vulnerable countries can take action and repair the damage caused by climate change. The Pacific region cannot afford to see the Paris Agreement on Climate Change relegated to the archives of the United Nations. We therefore call for the Paris Agreement’s work programme to be completed and made operational at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Katowice, Poland.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“As the world’s most at-risk country in terms of exposure to natural hazards, according to the World Risk Index of the United Nations University, for Vanuatu climate change continues to be the biggest threat to attaining the national targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and it is currently our worst problem, putting the lives of tens of thousands at risk. If the level of greenhouse-gas emissions continues to rise relentlessly, we will witness an escalation of the costs associated with the effects of climate change, costs that vulnerable countries such as Vanuatu cannot afford. That will cost us dearly in the future if the international community does not act now. The Governments of industrialized countries have pledged $100 billion annually by 2020 to finance climate-change mitigation measures in vulnerable countries.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“United Nations reform should consider the entire system by aligning peace and security more closely with the pillars of development and human rights. The Pacific region is committed to strengthening climate resilience as quickly as possible so as to build a strong region. That emerged from the Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit held in Nauru earlier this month. Nature continues to warn us of the imminent dangers to our planet as it approaches a point of no return beyond which our climate systems will no longer be able to cope. Summer heatwaves, huge forest fires, extreme drought and the increasing frequency and scale of weather events have brought the debate on global warming to an indisputable level of importance. I sincerely hope that those warnings will provoke concerted climate action.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We welcome the efforts to reform the United Nations development system, which require specific changes within the system in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. My Government asks that the United Nations system be flexible and provide opportunities to review and adapt the configuration, role and development services of the many United Nations country teams so as to ensure the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. With reference to an important part of the United Nations reform agenda under way, I would like to draw attention to the pillar of human rights. Without an effective and resilient United Nations-led human rights system within every State, it will be difficult to employ preventive diplomacy.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“However, those advances are overshadowed by gaps in the Organization, including its continued inability to address the growing list of problems facing humankind, including preventing crises. The Security Council’s inability to take decisive action on the Syrian issue is one of many examples. The Government of Vanuatu joins other Governments in recalling that membership in the Security Council is not only a mark of prestige but also entails knowing how to demonstrate strong leadership and assume shared responsibilities to safeguard peace and security in the world. My Government welcomes the reforms that Secretary-General Guterres is undertaking, prioritizing prevention and the maintenance of peace while making the Organization more coherent and effective through a comprehensive approach.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The theme of the seventy- third session, “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies”, is more fitting than ever as we deliberate on ways to build a stronger, fairer and more transparent United Nations that meets its goals. The United Nations has made great strides in the past few decades. Extreme poverty has been halved. More girls are enrolled in school than ever before. More women, especially in rural areas, are playing roles with increased responsibility and contributing to the global economy. Similarly, the health of mothers and children has improved significantly.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The United Nations was founded on the vision that nations can together play an important preventive role in saving successive generations from the scourge of war and restoring confidence in basic human rights. The founders also envisioned an organization that would be a pillar of the world order, in which international peace and security would be guaranteed by international law. Moreover, they envisaged international mechanisms for strengthening social progress and the living conditions of humankind. During these weeks of debate we have an opportunity to assess the progress that has been made over the past seven decades and to discuss areas in which we must do more.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“It is an honour for Vanuatu to join other speakers in congratulating you, Madam President, on your accession to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session, and we assure you of our full support. I would also like to express my gratitude to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, for his excellent leadership. Allow me also to commend Secretary-General Guterres and reiterate to him my Government’s confidence in his ability to carry out his functions as chief administrator. I also want to pay tribute to His Excellency the late former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who passed away last month. Mr. Annan will long be remembered for his advocacy for United Nations reform and his commitment to resolving major issues peacefully, given his faith in mediation and dialogue.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We thank all countries, in particular France, that have supported the process thus far. We urge the administering Power to ensure that the referendum is fair and transparent and that the wishes of the people are honoured. We also call on France to facilitate a fair and transparent process of self-determination for French Polynesia. In conclusion, as we begin the seventy-second session of the General Assembly, let us work together with a specific goal in mind: to respond judiciously to the many challenges we face for the common good of humankind. May God bless the States Members of the United Nations.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We call on them, along with Indonesia, to end all forms of violence and find common ground with the citizens of West Papua in order to facilitate a process that will enable them to freely express their will. I return to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations to reaffirm the belief in fundamental human rights, the dignity and worth of the human person and the equal rights of men and women, and of nations, great and small. I believe that we all have an obligation to work together to lift the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed on the Republic of Cuba. Removing those restrictions will, inter alia, enable the Cuban people to enjoy their human rights. New Caledonia is in the critical phase of deciding its future, as the 2018 referendum is quickly approaching.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In that regard, I should like to point out that there have been recent incursions into disputed areas of Vanuatu, which is not in keeping with United Nations principles or the provisions of international law of the sea. For half a century, the international community has witnessed several instances of torture, murder, exploitation, sexual violence and arbitrary arrest that the people of West Papua have suffered at the hands of the Indonesians, and it has ignored their voices and calls for help. We urge the Human Rights Council to investigate those abuses. We also call on our leading partners around the world to support the legal right to self-determination of West Papua.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We are ready to forge new partnerships to further stimulate our productive and infrastructure sectors. My Government is concerned about the fact that the United Nations has lost much of its ability and willingness to implement Security Council resolution 1514 (1960), of 14 December 1960, which called for an swift and unconditional end to colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. Decolonization must return to the agenda of the United Nations, and all efforts must be free of the pressures of international politics. We all have a collective responsibility to guarantee the self- determination of peoples under the colonial yoke. We firmly believe that territorial disputes should be resolved peacefully, while respecting cultural heritage and adhering to United Nations conventions and to the provisions of international law of the sea.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We are also aware that a balanced and equitable distribution of the necessary resources and infrastructure in our provinces will help to develop the provinces and reduce poverty. My Government is committed to ensuring a peaceful, just and inclusive society and to building responsive institutions capable of delivering quality services to our citizens. We work with our development partners to enhance the resilience and adaptability of our peoples to climate change and natural disasters. My Government is committed to structural reform to ensure political and economic stability, based on equitable and sustainable growth that would create jobs and increase our citizens’ incomes. My Government sincerely thanks our traditional development partners for their contribution to the economic development of our country.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We hope to share our progress and our failures in meeting our sustainable development goals, while fully respecting the continuity of the partnership for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Vanuatu is convinced that in order to end poverty, opportunities for all people, in particular women, must be made available. Greater access must be given to education, nutrition and health. My Government is committed to eliminating the barriers that disproportionately affect our vulnerable groups. We successfully launched our national policies on gender equality and the protection of children in November 2016. Both policies take into account violence and discrimination against women and girls, as well as the neglect, exploitation and abuse of and violence against children.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We have launched our national oceans policy, but we will also ban the use of plastic bags by 2018 in order to reduce the amount of ocean debris and preserve its health. At the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Apia, I called on the leaders and peoples of the Pacific island countries to join Vanuatu in this struggle and to be more responsible in preserving our blue Pacific Ocean in order to guarantee human survival. My Government remains fully committed to achieving its national sustainable development plan. We have begun to meet the challenge of turning our goals into tangible action. My Government pledges to submit Vanuatu’s voluntary report in mid-2018.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The United Nations Ocean Conference, held here in New York in June, has shown that the quality of the oceans, which contribute to our livelihoods, has been seriously undermined and that urgent and immediate attention on our part is required, now more than ever before. We are from an island nation surrounded by a vast ocean and know how important it is. We are very concerned about the health of the ocean because it has an impact on humankind’s survival. My Government is committed to implementing the resolutions of the Conference, including Sustainable Development Goal 14, by 2030, through partnerships and national efforts. We are committed to achieving our national goal of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030, with the support of our development partners.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“By collectively reducing the rate at which we emit greenhouse gases, we can make a major difference. We can limit the average rise in temperature to less than 1.5°C, change the chemistry of the oceans, manage sea- level rise and prevent disasters for generations to come. We urge all States Members of the United Nations to persevere. We therefore urge the United States, as part of the one world we have, to reverse its decision and enforce the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. My country is deeply concerned about climate change and the Paris Agreement, and we are committed to reversing the decline in the health of our oceans.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We in the Pacific know how important it is to work in unison, because it is through unity that we are stronger and can achieve positive results. Similarly, the actions of the United Nations are more decisive when members are united. Our understanding of the science of climate change has deepened over the past few years, and its devastating impact knows no borders. The terrible earthquake in Mexico, Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean, Hurricane Harvey in Texas and tropical storm Pam, which devastated Vanuatu in 2015, are brutal warnings from Mother Nature that the climate is changing faster than our efforts to counter that change. Solving a problem that has taken centuries to manifest itself requires more reflection and effort on our part.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We also call on the United Nations to find common ground with the Republic and to engage in dialogue for a peaceful solution. My Government reaffirms its commitment to the denuclearization of the Pacific and welcomes the Treaty adopted at the conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument banning nuclear weapons. Vanuatu reaffirms its commitment to complete nuclear disarmament. The report on regionalism recently published by the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat provides a geopolitical assessment of the trends, threats and opportunities for regional development and political aspirations. It includes strategies that Forum members can use to build a stronger, more resilient and responsive Pacific region.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We also call on development partners and aid agencies to consider gradually reducing LDC development assistance. There should be clear provisions for reducing trade benefits to LDCs, stipulated in bilateral agreements and by the World Trade Organization. My Government is also concerned about threats to peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. The provocative missile programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea violates several Security Council resolutions and poses an unprecedented threat to security in the region and around the world. Vanuatu condemns in the strongest terms the most recent round of missile launches and joins with the international community in encouraging the Administration of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to end its nuclear and missile development programme.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“To make the path even more difficult, the General Assembly has planned to remove Vanuatu’s status as a least developed country (LDC) in December 2020. Unfortunately, the fact that we have developed and emerged from LDC status does not mean that we have eliminated our vulnerabilities and structural barriers. My Government calls on the United Nations to ensure that the change in the status of a country like ours does not cause disruption or hamper our development. The measures in place to support the change in LDC status are simply insufficient given the challenges that these countries will face. The transition mechanisms after such a change must be further strengthened. Vanuatu calls on the United Nations to continue to recognize Vanuatu as an LDC, rather than completely eliminating the specific support for it as an LDC.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I am particularly encouraged by the fact that the report highlights the need to have more robust coordination and accountability procedures within the United Nations system and realign it to better respond to countries’ efforts to implement the transformative 2030 Agenda. Earlier this year, we launched our national sustainable development plan to 2030, also known as the People’s Plan, which encompasses sustainable development goals. We know that the way ahead to implement this national road map will be tough, given structural weaknesses, extreme weather events, frequent earthquakes and external economic shocks. Vanuatu has ranked as one of the most disaster-prone countries for four years in a row.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It is therefore incumbent on the Council to disregard the political interests of both sides and to seek compromise solutions. It is essential to ensure that the Security Council meets the objectives, principles and promises of the Charter of the United Nations. We support the reforms of the Security Council that reflect current geopolitical dynamics and provide for a more equitable regional representation as well as a continuous reform of the United Nations peacekeeping operations to better prevent and resolve complex conflicts in our contemporary world and to better protect civilians. My Government welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on repositioning the United Nations development system to deliver on the 2030 Agenda.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“As a small island State in the Pacific, Vanuatu is a strong supporter of a rules-based international regime through which States act fairly and transparently with each other, and through which economic development could come to fruition and where peace and security in the world could be maintained. That is why Vanuatu has faith in the United Nations. The United Nations remains for Vanuatu the best hope and catalyst for regional and global peace and security. I would like to highlight the valuable and potential work that this body has done to lift millions out of poverty, promote and protect human rights, and bring about an international order seen in much of the world today. However, to remain relevant, there is a need for strategic reforms. Being a permanent member of the Security Council is more a responsibility than a privilege.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The rural exodus to the city and a relatively high rate of urbanization also present the same challenges at the national level. Vanuatu notes with deep concern the irrefutable link between the global crisis and the failure to respect the principles of the responsibility to protect and the prevention of mass atrocity crimes in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and South Sudan, to cite only a few. As a small island State exposed to the rising sea level that will overwhelm its islands and force its people to seek refuge, I would like to appeal to the international community to mobilize its efforts and to begin the debate on the establishment of an international legal framework that will truly solve the problem of climate-change refugees from small island States.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)