Thank you M(x) President,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Colleagues,

1. I take the floor on behalf of the members of the Pacific Islands Forum with presence at the United Nations.

2. We are pleased to support the Pacific Multi-Country Programme Document presented to the Executive Board for approval. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has consulted carefully across our Blue Pacific Continent to ensure that its programme genuinely reflects national and regional priorities.

3. We would particularly like to acknowledge the genuine challenges of covering such diverse geographies and needs in a single strategy.

4. Multi-country offices deserve more recognition – particularly when they cover multiple time-zones in an area where travel is difficult and countries whose populations range from 1,500 to almost a million people.

5. We commend the work of UNFPA staff in the Blue Pacific to the attention of Executive Director Kanem.

6. Our Pacific Island Countries would particularly benefit from improved data collection and analysis – we appreciate UNFPAs efforts in this regard and look forward to strengthening our cooperation in this area.
7. Excellencies,
8. Gender-based violence is a scourge which often occurs behind closed doors and affects individuals and communities in all of our societies to varying degrees.  We therefore appreciate UNFPA cooperation in developing targeted support for women and girls and look forward to enhanced support in this important area.
9. We particularly appreciate UNFPA’s efforts, as part of the broader UN strategic planning process, to align its work in the coming five years with the goals of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent – the overarching regional vision agreed by Pacific leaders.

10.  As we look ahead to the Seventh Asian and Pacific Population Conference in Bangkok this November our PIF family looks forward to further cooperation on this very important issue and stands ready to make meaningful progress with you all.

11. We are therefore pleased to endorse the MCPD and appreciate the work of UNFPA in preparing it. We look forward to working with them on its implementation.

12. Vinaka – I thank you.