WELCOME REMARKS BY SECRETARY GENERAL, BARON WAQA AT THE MEETING BETWEEN THE WORLD BANK GROUP PRESIDENT, MR AJAY BANGA AND PACIFIC FORUM LEADERS
2.00PM- 3.50PM, 5 September 2024, PIFS’s Library Conference Room (Hybrid)
Salutations
• Hon. Hu’akavameiliku Sovaleni, Prime Minister of Tonga and Pacific Islands Forum Chair,
• Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka, Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji
• HE. Wesley Simina, President of the Federated State of Micronesia
• HE. Hilda Heine, President of the Republic of Marshall Islands
• HE. David Adeang, President of Nauru
• Honorable Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers
• Other Hon Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers of Forum Members of the World Bank, who are attending in-person or joining us on-line.
• President of the World Bank Group, Mr Ajay Banga,
• Excellencies and Senior Officials,
• Ladies and gentlemen.
i. Ekamawir omo, bula vinaka and good afternoon to you all.
ii. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
iii. I acknowledge your presence at this very important high-level meeting between the World Bank Group President Mr Ajay Banga and Pacific Leaders. This is a very rare opportunity, and we are very privileged to have President Banga with us this afternoon.
iv. Your Secretariat is happy to support this meeting. I understand that this is only the third such meeting in the last 50 years, where the World Bank President and Pacific leaders have had the opportunity to talanoa and exchange views on Pacific development challenges, initiatives and priorities. Let us make full use of this opportunity to inform the World Bank of our regional needs and priorities, to enable the President to advocate on our behalf at the global level.
v. Mr President, the Forum Secretariat acknowledges the World Bank’s engagement with the Pacific over the past years in support of regional cooperation and integration. We value the Bank’s support towards economic growth, trade and investment that has benefitted our Pacific people. We are particularly grateful that the majority of the Forum’s Island Member states are eligible to access funds from the International Development Association (IDA). We wish you every success in the current call for replenishment of the IDA facility.
vi. We acknowledge the Bank’s support towards the implementation of the Correspondent Banking Relationship (CBR) Roadmap and the Pacific Strengthening CBR project to address the issue of de-banking in our region.
vii. Mr President, I believe you will hear more about other regional priorities from our Leaders later this afternoon. Allow me to draw your attention to the seven (7) priorities of the region as articulated in the 2050 Strategy:
• Political leadership and regionalism,
• people centred development,
• Peace and Security,
• Resources and Economic Development,
• Climate change and Disasters,
• Ocean and Environment, and
• Technology and Connectivity.
viii. Under each of these thematic areas, several regional collective actions are identified for implementation. I urge the World Bank to consider and identify relevant regional collection actions for potential support and implementation.
ix. I am certain that Leaders here today will speak to the details of these regional priorities. It my sincere hope that the World Bank will continue to support the Pacific in the delivery of these collective actions.
x. Once again, Pacific Leaders and Mr President, I thank you for the opportunity to host this important talanoa and I look forward to fruitful discussions on our regional priorities during this high-level gathering.
xi. Tubwa kor, vinaka vakalevu and I thank you
5 September 2024
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