4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States
General Debate Statement
by
His Excellency Hon. David W.R. Adeang, MP
President of the Republic of Nauru
Antigua & Barbuda, 27 May 2024
Mr President,
Ekamawir omo and I bring warm greetings from the Government and people of Nauru.
At the outset, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda for their warm welcome and hospitality. I also convey my deep appreciation to Hon. Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, Prime Minister of Samoa and her team as the Chair of our AOSIS family for their exceptional stewardship in the lead up to this 4th International Conference for Small Island Developing States.
I am honoured to join you and be here in this warm and beautiful Caribbean country to adopt The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) and speak on ‘Charting the Course Towards Resilient Prosperity’ for the next 10 years. [As we gather here today, allow me to quote the young Marshallese poet, Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, "We deserve to do more than just survive. We deserve to thrive."]
Mr President,
In the 30 years since the recognition of the special case of SIDS for sustainable development, the world has drastically changed and “resilient prosperity” feels even further from our grasp. Today, we convene amidst multiple crises: climate emergency, conflicts, and repercussions of the COVID pandemic. 2030 is a mere 7 years away and yet our collective progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is disheartening. So how can we enable resilent properity for ourselves and future generations? For Nauru, the way forward is through climate action, sustainable development of the ocean and financing.
Mr President,
There is no resilient prosperity for Nauru, or any of us, without climate action. Climate change poses the gravest of threats to my people. We need to accelerate our efforts to mitigate climate change. We need to reduce emissions, phase out fossil fuels and move towards a just energy transition to keep the 1.5 Celsius limit to temperature rise within reach and maintainable. We are already experiencing effects of sea-level rise around our low-lying coastal areas with erosion threatening the homes and livelihoods of our communities. We have been building sea walls to safeguard our coastlines and communities but this is not a long-term sustainable solution.
Nauru has a visionary project called the Higher Ground Initiative, which is a pilot project that aims to relocate displaced communities from low-lying areas to higher ground for survival. This is not a choice, it is a necessity. We call upon the international community to support this initiative and others like it across SIDS. We also continue to call on the Secretary General to appoint a Special Representative on Climate and Security to improve the United Nations’ ability to address climate-related security risk.
Moreover, we must address the global vulnerability in the sourcing and supply of critical metals required to power our transition to a low-carbon society. This supply risk is steeped in geological, geopolitical, and governance challenges. In a land-based context, not all mineral reserves are technically or economically extractable, with a foreseeable increase in global energy requirements to extract them. We must resolve this – collectively.
The sustainable use of our oceans includes the responsible recovery and extraction of critical metals housed in polymetallic nodules. We consider the recovery of these nodules from the ocean floor a critical mix in the vulnerable metals supply chain, and in expediting our transition to clean renewable energy sources as well as creating the foundations for a circular economy.
Nauru is investing in the development of world class, robust regulations for responsible sourcing of critical metals from the Area. We call upon ISA members [and a unified and collective approach by the SIDS community] to complete the draft exploitation regulations with robust environmental standards within its regulatory framework. We also urge the international community to support SIDS in developing their blue economies sustainably, through technology transfer, capacity building, and financial assistance.
Mr President,
Nauru will not be able to achieve our national sustainable development aspirations – the Higher Ground Initiative, building our resilience and meeting the SDGs -- on our own. The potential of improved and increased access to sustainable financing cannot be understated; and the urgent need to reform the global financial architecture starting with the establishment of measures that go beyond GDP is long overdue. The means of implementation include financing, technology transfer and capacity building, must consider our priorities, vulnerabilities and national context. We call for the early adoption of the Multidimentional Vulnerability Index (MVI) and the establishment of an interim secretariat. We reiterate the need to make climate and development finance more accessible, effective and better positioned towards a resilient prosperity for our people, our children and future generations.
Mr. President,
Small Islands are almost synonymous with the ocean and the need for a healthy, productive and resilient ocean. We made great strides this past year with the completion of our BBNJ negotiations. This treaty breaks new ground on sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources and new provisions on capacity building and transfer of technology. It also paves the way for new area based management tools and environmental impact statements. Nauru was proudly active during the negotiations and hopes for its early entry into force. If properly and fully implemented it will move us closer to the intra and intergenerational equity which Nauru and other SIDS aspire to see and which is a needed bedrock to allow us to build resilient prosperity.
Mr President,
In closing, Nauru recognizes that our sustainable development aspirations and goals are not possible without strong partnerships hence we call on the international community, our partners and friends to continue to support the SIDS and our efforts to chart our course towards a resilient and prosperous future, where no one is left behind. Let us be bold and make every effort to implement the ABAS. We have 10 years, let’s not waste it and instead make haste towards an inspired resilient prosperity for all.
As we embark on this journey together, let us draw strength from the resilience and wisdom of our ancestors, who have navigated the vast Pacific Ocean for generations. With their guidance and our united efforts, I am confident that we can steer towards a brighter, more sustainable future for all SIDS.
Tubwa kor, I thank you.--ENDS
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