Madam Chair,

1. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the fourteen Member States of the Pacific Islands Forum with presence here at the United Nations, namely; Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and my own country, Fiji.

2. The Group extends its appreciation to the Bureau and we look forward to working closely and constructively with you to make this a successful session.

Madam Chair,

3. The overarching objective of our work on this item is to advance progress towards achievement of SDG 2: Zero hunger by 2030 through agriculture development, food security and nutrition. We wish to recall that the 2030 Agenda places the eradication of poverty and hunger among its core priorities and identifies sustainable agriculture and food systems as key drivers of sustainable development.

4. Our Group wishes to thank the Secretary-General for convening the Food Systems Summit.  This has served as a historic opportunity to empower the peoples and communities of our region to leverage the power of food systems in order to drive our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. The Pacific region has a unique place in the global food system. Our shared Blue Pacific identity connects our diverse cultures and ways we manage our food systems. Between 50–70 per cent of Pacific people depend on agriculture and fishing activities for their livelihoods and the region contributes up to 50 percent of the global tuna catch.  Pacific nations continue to sustainably manage this catch, making a significant contribution to the global food supply chain.  

6. While extreme poverty remains relatively low in the Pacific, an estimated one in four Pacific islanders are likely to be living below their respective national basic need’s poverty lines, causing hardship, lack of economic opportunity and social exclusion.  Children, the elderly, women, youth and people living with disabilities are disproportionately vulnerable in this respect.

7. Poverty reduction through pro-growth measures and job creation is necessary but is not enough. The promotion of “decent work” and social protection policies as well as well managed labour mobility schemes can help enhance resilience and safeguard workers. However, the small population size, remoteness and enduring impacts of disasters, hinders the ability of countries to generate and sustain economic growth.

8. Despite the Pacific’s ongoing challenges and limitations, there is significant potential and opportunities for accelerating development in the Pacific through regional resilience, our ability to adapt to changing situations, our significant biodiversity, oceanic resources and ability to work as a Blue Pacific collective, and our increasing access to and use of ICTs, increasing connectivity and access to renewable energy.

Madam Chair,

9. Our vulnerabilities are compounded by the impacts caused by the challenges of climate change; more frequent and intense storms, sea-level-rise, droughts and increase temperatures. These translate to food insecurity, high energy cost and displacement of our peoples and lands.

10.  The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021: Transforming Food Systems for Food Security, Improved Nutrition and Affordable Healthy Diets for all clearly indicates that the world is not on track to achieve targets for any of the nutrition indicators. We need bold and transformative actions if we are to accelerate and address inequality in access to food.

11.  Next week, the UN FAO will make World Food Day with the theme, "Our actions are our future- Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life".  Nutrition must be recognised as a cross-cutting aspect of human development and a fundamental building block for sustainable development. 

12.  Within the framing of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, nutrition has been identified as a key driver of change for improving the socio-economic wellbeing of all Pacific peoples.  The region has stepped up its efforts to guide investments and reforms necessary to ensure resilient sectors so that we can achieve food sovereignty, enabling the region to receive a fair and equitable share from the contribution of Pacific resources and Blue Foods to global Food Systems. 

13.  The Pacific region also intends to strengthen e-commerce and expand digitalisation to accelerate progress on resilient Food Systems, improve nutrition and health and to build climate resilient adaptation capacity. ​

14.  Madam Chair, We are in firm agreement with the Secretary-General that transforming our food systems is central in our effort to achieve the SDGs.  We join the call for all stakeholders, including indigenous peoples, producers, women, youth and the business sector to work together to adopt a sustainable food systems approach which incorporates science, policy and action into diverse and complex food systems effectively.

I thank you.