PORT VILA DECLARATION ON ACCELERATING PROGRESS ON THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

We, the Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu: Recalling our commitment to improve the lives of all impoverished people around the world under the United Nations Millennium Declaration and its implementation through the Millennium Development Goals. Noting the uneven success to date in achieving progress towards the Millennium Development Goals in our region and the need to improve the effectiveness of development resources to accelerate progress towards the Goals. Reaffirming that the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA) for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and its Mauritius Strategy for Implementation (MSI), remain the global framework for supporting the sustainable development of SIDS, including Pacific SIDS. Recalling the Port Vila Outcome Statement on the MSI+5 review of the BPoA which highlighted the increasing vulnerability of Pacific Island Countries to threats and challenges, as emphasised by the impacts of the global economic crisis, compounded by the inherent threat of climate change, while the ability to cope has decreased. Conscious of the opportunity presented by the forthcoming Millennium Development Goals United Nations Summit, 20-22 September, New York on ways to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals to revitalise global commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Seizing the opportunity presented by the 5 year high-level review of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation (MSI+5) to be undertaken by the UNGA on 24 and 25 September to examine progress on reducing the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States and improving support for their sustainable development, noting Pacific preparations already underway. Underscoring our commitment to Forum principles of democracy, good governance, broad-based economic growth, security and sustainable development, as espoused through our commitment to regional cooperation and integration under the Pacific Plan. Recognising the impediments to stronger and broader based development posed by the poor coordination of development resources, the failure to better harmonise efforts to achieve outcomes and the necessity of mutual accountability and respect among partners. Cognisant of the need to unlock the region’s potential by seeking relevant and innovative policy and approaches that address our short, medium and long-term challenges. Acknowledging the centrality of political will and leadership in the success and sustainability of accelerated efforts to achieving the MDGs. Hereby reaffirm our intention to achieve improved standards of living and human well- being as measured by the Millennium Development Goals and commit to: - continue to localise the Millennium Development Goals into national and regional plans, programs and prioritise budgets with particular focus on those that have the greatest consequences for Pacific Island Peoples; - advocate for the special needs of Small Island Developing States to ensure the development and pursuit of appropriate and sustainable policies and program responses, including through the use of international platforms such as the BPoA and MSI that articulate an agreed special case for SIDS; - coordinate efforts to support the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, drawing on the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Accra Agenda for Action and the Pacific Principles on Aid Effectiveness, as actioned through the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination in the Pacific, itself endorsed by Forum Leaders at their annual meeting in 2009; Consistent with these commitments we call on our Development Partners to: - work with us to immediately identify and develop major new activities and programs to expedite the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; - deliver on pledges to scale up aid and to channel a share of these increased resources to Pacific Island Countries towards accelerated Millennium Development Goal efforts; - honour commitments under various and relevant international and regional arrangements, such as Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and Accra Agenda for Action, and Pacific Principles on Aid Effectiveness, and actively engage with regional efforts such as the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination in the Pacific, which aim to improve the effectiveness of development efforts through greater transparency and better governance of national and development partner resources; - strengthen their support to Pacific Island Countries towards achieving sustainable development by mainstreaming the MSI and BPoA into programmatic work plans of development partners, including the regional banks, Bretton Woods Institutions and the UN system, including through development of vulnerability and resilience indices; and - support the strengthening of national systems in data collection including disaggregated data, analysis and dissemination. We strongly urge non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders at the local, national, regional and international levels to join us in redoubling efforts towards achieving this objective. We, the Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, commit ourselves and our governments to implementing this Declaration with the intention of accelerating progress to achieving the Millennium Development Goals in the interest of all Pacific Peoples allowing them to enjoy peaceful, prosperous, secure and fulfilling lives.