Micronesia (Federated States of)
1
Permanent Mission of the Federated States of Micronesia to the UN
300 East 42 Street, Suite 1600 Telephone: (212) 697-8370
New York, N.Y. 10017 Facsimile: (212) 697-8295
e-mail: fsmun@fsmgov.org http://www.fsmgov.org/
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Preparatory Committee for the third International
Conference on Small Island Developing States
Statement by H.E. Jane J. Chigiyal
Permanent Representative
New York, 24 February 2014 Check against delivery
Co-chairs,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is a great pleasure for me to address this Preparatory Committee in light of the on-going effort to
define concrete, practical and comprehensive measures aimed at the sustainable development of the
Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Co-chairs,
The preparations for the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States to be held
in September of 2014 in Apia, Samoa are now underway. As SIDS, we have put our efforts to
produce an outcome document that reflects our development aspirations. It is my delegation’s view
that the document should form the basis for developing the zero draft outcome document for our
meetings.
This first Preparatory Committee meeting gives us an important opportunity to listen to the views of
the wider UN membership. It also provides an avenue for us to elaborate on a few key issues. As
time is short, allow me therefore to use my intervention to highlight a few issues that are of particular
relevance.
Co-chairs,
The development challenges of SIDS are well known, our geography, remoteness and smallness and
our high level of vulnerability are recognized throughout the international community. As we move
forward, we will have to collectively ask ourselves - what are the best tools to address them. Why we
have not advanced in our sustainable development as much as we wanted? What went wrong?
It is clear that we need a paradigm shift in how SIDS and the development partners are interacting.
Here are some ideas to consider:
2
The theme of the Conference, “The sustainable development of Small Island Developing States
through genuine and durable partnerships” is one place to begin. We need to be equal partners
working together on the priority areas identified. All players need to be equally transparent.
Transparency needs to extend to implementing agencies, whether they be our regional organizations
or the United Nations. We can no longer afford to have the funds which are supposed to help us in
our sustainable development be used up in consultancies, reports and websites, they need to translate
into projects on the ground.
However, partnerships are not a substitute but rather a supplement for means of implementation and
the provision of Official Development Assistance. We equally need to strengthen those and improve
the institutional support to SIDS. We also need to develop our capacity both of our people and our
institutions. But rather than sending officials to workshops, we need to learn by doing while projects
on the ground are implemented.
Co-chairs,
Our countries are leaders in the sustainable use, management and conservation of the Ocean. The
Rio+20 and the SIDS interregional outcome documents rightly highlight our world’s oceans, and the
environmental challenges it faces. Many of us can be described as ‘Large Ocean’ rather than ‘Small
Island’ Developing States. The Oceans is a crucial provider for our food, energy, tourism,
biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and over-all the bloodline of our economies. For those whose fate
is most directly linked to the oceans, we must have support measures from the international
community that are targeted at our specific needs in this area.
There must be global efforts to regulate fisheries and exploitation of marine resources, eliminate
harmful subsidies and IUU fishing, address ocean acidification and ensure greater economic benefits
to SIDS from use of their marine resources. Thus, the outcome of the Samoa Conference needs to be
concrete, targeted and be equally strong in this regard. For all these reasons, the Pacific SIDS are
calling for a dedicated SDG on Oceans.
But our potential for Sustainable Development, Mr. Co-Chairs, is constantly threatened by climate
change. Sea-level rise in our region is occurring at twice the global speed, threatening our shore
lines, water supplies and food. It is even encroaching on our sovereignty and endangering our very
survival. There must be a global effort to halt the onslaught of climate change.
In order to address climate change, the international community must undertake bold actions for the
UNFCCC negotiations to reach a robust agreement by 2015. We must also explore other potential
avenues that address the climate crisis. This brings me to one such avenue - the Montreal Protocol.
Micronesia has advocated for the use of the Montreal Protocol to regulate the production and
consumption of HFCs. Our proposal is not a conflicting goal, but rather a necessary complement to
the UNFCCC process.
The bad news is that HFC production and consumption is already on the rise and HFCs are the
fastest growing green-house gases in a number of countries. It is time for us to take concrete steps
towards solving the problem of the growth of production and consumption of HFCs. And the
Montreal Protocol is the best place to accomplish a phase down on the production and consumption
of HFCs.
3
The international community’s goodwill would have been wasted if the climate change crisis is not
properly addressed.
Co-Chairs,
The SIDS have a unique opportunity to establish themselves as leaders on sustainable energy. While
SIDS are often considered resource poor in many areas, our wealth lies in our renewable energy
resources. The international community must provide targeted measures to address many of the
aspects of our renewable energy resources, such as wind, sun, waves, geothermal, among others.
These could make a crucial difference in our sustainable development efforts.
The BPOA provided us with a blueprint for our sustainable development, but it did not give us the
means of measuring progress. We need adequate and reliable data to better develop sound policies to
address our challenges.
Co-Chairs,
Finally, the outcome of the Samoa Conference will not be a stand-alone effort. It is part and parcel of
the post 2015 development agenda and will also inform the climate change summit convened by the
Secretary General later in the year. Let me express that my delegation is looking forward to the zero
draft document and the negotiations. We hope that the informals will start soon and pledge our active
support to you. I am confident that our deliberations at this Prep Com, as well as the other upcoming
PrepComs can help identify concrete and practical measures that can translate the visions of the
SIDS into reality.
I thank you.
Permanent Mission of the Federated States of Micronesia to the UN
300 East 42 Street, Suite 1600 Telephone: (212) 697-8370
New York, N.Y. 10017 Facsimile: (212) 697-8295
e-mail: fsmun@fsmgov.org http://www.fsmgov.org/
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Preparatory Committee for the third International
Conference on Small Island Developing States
Statement by H.E. Jane J. Chigiyal
Permanent Representative
New York, 24 February 2014 Check against delivery
Co-chairs,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is a great pleasure for me to address this Preparatory Committee in light of the on-going effort to
define concrete, practical and comprehensive measures aimed at the sustainable development of the
Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Co-chairs,
The preparations for the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States to be held
in September of 2014 in Apia, Samoa are now underway. As SIDS, we have put our efforts to
produce an outcome document that reflects our development aspirations. It is my delegation’s view
that the document should form the basis for developing the zero draft outcome document for our
meetings.
This first Preparatory Committee meeting gives us an important opportunity to listen to the views of
the wider UN membership. It also provides an avenue for us to elaborate on a few key issues. As
time is short, allow me therefore to use my intervention to highlight a few issues that are of particular
relevance.
Co-chairs,
The development challenges of SIDS are well known, our geography, remoteness and smallness and
our high level of vulnerability are recognized throughout the international community. As we move
forward, we will have to collectively ask ourselves - what are the best tools to address them. Why we
have not advanced in our sustainable development as much as we wanted? What went wrong?
It is clear that we need a paradigm shift in how SIDS and the development partners are interacting.
Here are some ideas to consider:
2
The theme of the Conference, “The sustainable development of Small Island Developing States
through genuine and durable partnerships” is one place to begin. We need to be equal partners
working together on the priority areas identified. All players need to be equally transparent.
Transparency needs to extend to implementing agencies, whether they be our regional organizations
or the United Nations. We can no longer afford to have the funds which are supposed to help us in
our sustainable development be used up in consultancies, reports and websites, they need to translate
into projects on the ground.
However, partnerships are not a substitute but rather a supplement for means of implementation and
the provision of Official Development Assistance. We equally need to strengthen those and improve
the institutional support to SIDS. We also need to develop our capacity both of our people and our
institutions. But rather than sending officials to workshops, we need to learn by doing while projects
on the ground are implemented.
Co-chairs,
Our countries are leaders in the sustainable use, management and conservation of the Ocean. The
Rio+20 and the SIDS interregional outcome documents rightly highlight our world’s oceans, and the
environmental challenges it faces. Many of us can be described as ‘Large Ocean’ rather than ‘Small
Island’ Developing States. The Oceans is a crucial provider for our food, energy, tourism,
biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and over-all the bloodline of our economies. For those whose fate
is most directly linked to the oceans, we must have support measures from the international
community that are targeted at our specific needs in this area.
There must be global efforts to regulate fisheries and exploitation of marine resources, eliminate
harmful subsidies and IUU fishing, address ocean acidification and ensure greater economic benefits
to SIDS from use of their marine resources. Thus, the outcome of the Samoa Conference needs to be
concrete, targeted and be equally strong in this regard. For all these reasons, the Pacific SIDS are
calling for a dedicated SDG on Oceans.
But our potential for Sustainable Development, Mr. Co-Chairs, is constantly threatened by climate
change. Sea-level rise in our region is occurring at twice the global speed, threatening our shore
lines, water supplies and food. It is even encroaching on our sovereignty and endangering our very
survival. There must be a global effort to halt the onslaught of climate change.
In order to address climate change, the international community must undertake bold actions for the
UNFCCC negotiations to reach a robust agreement by 2015. We must also explore other potential
avenues that address the climate crisis. This brings me to one such avenue - the Montreal Protocol.
Micronesia has advocated for the use of the Montreal Protocol to regulate the production and
consumption of HFCs. Our proposal is not a conflicting goal, but rather a necessary complement to
the UNFCCC process.
The bad news is that HFC production and consumption is already on the rise and HFCs are the
fastest growing green-house gases in a number of countries. It is time for us to take concrete steps
towards solving the problem of the growth of production and consumption of HFCs. And the
Montreal Protocol is the best place to accomplish a phase down on the production and consumption
of HFCs.
3
The international community’s goodwill would have been wasted if the climate change crisis is not
properly addressed.
Co-Chairs,
The SIDS have a unique opportunity to establish themselves as leaders on sustainable energy. While
SIDS are often considered resource poor in many areas, our wealth lies in our renewable energy
resources. The international community must provide targeted measures to address many of the
aspects of our renewable energy resources, such as wind, sun, waves, geothermal, among others.
These could make a crucial difference in our sustainable development efforts.
The BPOA provided us with a blueprint for our sustainable development, but it did not give us the
means of measuring progress. We need adequate and reliable data to better develop sound policies to
address our challenges.
Co-Chairs,
Finally, the outcome of the Samoa Conference will not be a stand-alone effort. It is part and parcel of
the post 2015 development agenda and will also inform the climate change summit convened by the
Secretary General later in the year. Let me express that my delegation is looking forward to the zero
draft document and the negotiations. We hope that the informals will start soon and pledge our active
support to you. I am confident that our deliberations at this Prep Com, as well as the other upcoming
PrepComs can help identify concrete and practical measures that can translate the visions of the
SIDS into reality.
I thank you.
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