Mr. President,

I have the honor to introduce draft resolution A/75/288, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum”, on behalf of the members of the Forum with presence in New York. We also acknowledge the guidance of the Cook Islands as chair of the Pacific Island Forum.

The Pacific Islands Forum facilitates regional cooperation between our PIF Members to ensure a resilient region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity, all working together to shape a more promising future for our Blue Pacific.

This draft resolution builds upon resolution 75/98 and encourages further cooperation between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum. Let me highlight a few significant updates in this year’s draft resolution.

The preamble underlines our region’s commitment to taking urgent action to address our region’s vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change. We encourage the international community to consider multidimensional vulnerability, including through a multi-dimensional vulnerability index as a criterion to access concessional finance.

We recognize the important role and contribution of the United Nations system in the Pacific, and welcome the continued mutually beneficial dialogue between the Pacific Islands Forum leaders and the UN Secretary-General. In this regard, the resolution encourages the scheduling of the next meeting between the United Nations Secretary-General and the Pacific Islands Forum leaders during the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week 2023.

In paragraph 4, the resolution notes the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent as the Pacific Island Forum’s collective vision for the region over the next three decades.

Paragraph 20 looks forward to the convening of the fourth International Conference on small islands developing states, to be held in Antigua and Barbuda in 2024, while paragraph 10 encourages all parties, in particular Small Island Developing States, to support the preparation of the next high-level UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.

In paragraph 14 we acknowledge the far-reaching and enduring consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for the sustainable development of SIDS, as envisioned in the SAMOA Pathway and the 2030 Agenda.

Paragraphs 19 and 27 welcome the progress towards enhancing cooperation between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum and its associated institutions and reiterates the importance of continuing to enhance and strengthen the United Nations field presence in the Pacific with particular regard to operational activities of the multi-country offices.

Mr. President,

This draft resolution represents a text that, after consultations, we believe reflects our collective aim of reaching consensus. We regret, however, that the pursuit of consensus has required Forum members to put aside issues of priority for our region.  

For instance, in 2022 Pacific Islands Forum leaders declared that the Pacific is facing a Climate Emergency that threatens the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of its people and ecosystems, backed by the latest science and the daily lived realities in Pacific communities.

PIF leaders have also called for the UN Security Council to appoint a special rapporteur to produce a regular review of global, regional and national security threats caused by climate change. We would have like to see recognition of the good work being done on climate and security by the Peacebuilding Fund in our region.

Finally, PIF members wished to welcome the adoption of an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction and look forward to its prompt implementation.

Mr. President,

In pursing our ambitions as the Blue Pacific, we strive for genuine and enduring cooperation, in the spirit of our Blue Pacific Principles for Dialogue and Engagement that recognise and support the collective strength, voice, and priorities of our Pacific region.This sentiment is at the heart of our region’s collective vision as espoused in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, ensuring that we will secure and sustain peace and stability in our region, and that we engage as one region.

We believe and are committed to the values of multilateralism, values that bring us together at the UN to work for a better future. We seek the broadest support possible across our region to ensure full ownership and accountability in delivering on our shared objectives.

Thank you.