Remarks by His Excellency, President Panuelo of the Federated States of Miconesia on the global and regional landscape, Pacific regionalism and 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent

 

Excellency

• Just over fifty years ago, thanks to intrepid astronauts, humanity looked back at Earth from the moon and saw the first colour photos of our planet– a beautiful blue marble slowly spinning in the dark void of space. The largest portion of this blue ball is what our Pacific Leaders in 2017 termed the “Blue Pacific”.

• It is for this very reason, that our region has – at the Leaders, Ministerial and other levels advocated for our regional ocean priorities. The ocean is a significant part of us. This is true for the Pacific and beyond. Indeed, we see now that the ocean has certainly risen up as one of the key priorities in our global agenda.

• And this has transpired through 2022 as the “Year for the Ocean” with the culmination of ocean events ranging from Brest to Lisbon. In the next few months, we will also witness UNFCCC COP, CBD COP and the Plastics Treaty – all having a critical interlinkage to the ocean.

• We should all be proud of all the efforts for this political recognition, for which  Secretary-General Guterres certainly had a very important role to play.

• While the ocean is on the agenda, we are nautical miles away to reversing the damaging trends. Last month our negotiators travelled afar from the Pacific to attend what we expected was to be the concluding session of the Intergovernmental Negotiations to adopt a legally binding instrument to conserve and sustainably use BBNJ here at UN Headquarters. We were and still are disappointed that delegations were not able to find common grounds or, rather, did not try hard enough to do so. At the same time, we continue reading alarming scientific reports. As leaders of our nations, we hear from our constituencies and our people that things are just getting more dire. We also see that the opportunities are multiplying but are still limited to a happy few. We must not make it a habit to constantly postpone tough decisions.  The global community must finalize the negotiations the intergovernmental conference reconvenes in 2023.

• Excellency, we must continue to emphasize ambitious policies together with robust and timely actions to safeguard life on Earth. We need urgent action on the ocean! Our children and youths demand it, our people deserve it, and our ocean needs it! We trust in your leadership to help move our international community towards concrete outcomes in the upcoming important ocean meetings planned this year and next. We are, surprisingly, only just getting underway.  

• The ocean is inseparable from Pacific cultures, economies, security and ways of life. Indeed 96% of our region is ocean - we are the Blue Continent. We are stewards of the ocean, inherited from our ancestors and which we share with future generations. For this reason, the ocean is now placed at the heart and centre of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, that Forum Leaders adopted this past July.  

• The Strategy represents the long-term vision for the region and steps to achieve it. It also provides our long-term pathway to deepen regional, inter-regional and global cooperation. It reflects our shared strategic interests, as one Blue Pacific and frame our future partnerships and collaboration. To achieve the vision of the Strategy, securing the Blue Pacific Continent is of paramount importance.

• To secure the Blue Pacific Continent, due regard must be had to the influences that shapes our region. Climate change is the single greatest existential threat facing the Blue Pacific. As we speak, the region is facing a Climate Emergency that threatens the very existence and survival of our Pacific Peoples. The 1.5 degrees pathway is needed more than ever. We urge world leaders to commit to achieving net zero by 2050.[1]

• At our annual meeting two months ago we called on this Assembly for a resolution requesting the International Court of Justice to provide an advisory opinion on the obligation of states under international law to protect the rights of present and future generations against the adverse impacts of climate change. We look forward to your continued support.

• Threats of climate change-related sea-level rise remains the defining issue underpinning the full realisation of the Blue Pacific Continent. The 2021 PIF Declaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the Face of Climate Change-related Sea-Level Rise is the region’s response to achieving legal stability, security, certainty and predictability of our maritime zones. As large oceanic states, we have built our Nations’ aspirations in reliance on the rights and entitlements guaranteed under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or “UNCLOS”. We call on all States to join us, by adopting similar national and regional practices, like our Declaration, to develop international law to secure our maritime zones irrespective of the impacts of sea-level rise.

• In the spirit of securing our Blue Pacific Continent, our Leaders reiterated their strong concerns of the potential threat of nuclear contamination to the health and security of our Blue Pacific. Japan’s decision to dispose nuclear wastewater from its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean around March/April next year is premature as it lacks sound scientific basis.

• In view of the transgenerational, transboundary, reputational, and ecological harm that is likely to occur as a result of the discharge of nuclear wastewater by Japan, we strongly call on Japan to defer or pause its planned disposal until there is demonstrated proof of safety. As a state party to the UNCLOS, Japan understands its overarching and binding legal obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment.[2] 

• Our South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, otherwise known as the ‘Treaty of Rarotonga’ reflects the determination of its States Parties ‘to keep the region free of environmental pollution by radioactive wastes and other radioactive matter’.[3]

• Our region is not a dumping ground for nuclear wastes. We reaffirm unity in our continued commitment to a nuclear free Pacific and further reaffirm our determination for a region free of environmental pollution by radioactive wastes and other radioactive matter.

• Excellency, in conclusion, I believe we can all agree that – “no person is an island” – in that context the plight and the concerns of the Pacific is not an isolated one, these concerns are shared by all countries who count themselves as small island States, developing State and those States with coastal borders – the ocean connects us all and on that note the Pacific  looks forward to continued engagement with its dialogue and development partners and the international community in our pursuit of securing the Blue Pacific Continent and to achieving our long-term 2050 vision. Mr. Secretary-General, we believe that delivering on our 2050 Strategy will also aid in our achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and vice-versa

• We therefore call on the UN System Mr. Secretary-General and seek your support in mobilizing capacity and financial support through development partners, philanthropic organizations and international organizations that not only deliver on the various international mandates, but also responds to our home grown development aspirations such as our 2050 Strategy and our national development plans.

• Thank you.