Pacific Small Island Developing States

Statement of H. E. Mr. Mahe ‘U.S. Tupouniua
Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Tonga
Chair of the Pacific Small Island Developing States
For the intergovernmental negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda:
Follow-up and review

New York, Friday, 31th July 2015
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Co-Facilitators,
1. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 12 Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) with presence at the United Nations.
2. Co-facilitators, we join the room in offering our sincere appreciation for your hard work and long hours to bring the document before us to this point.
3. We align ourselves fully with the statement delivered by Maldives as Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), and for those of us that are members of the Group of 77 and China, with the statement delivered by South Africa as Chair of that Group
a. We strongly prefer working on the basis of paragraph 31, rather than 31alt.
b. On the goals and targets, we are pleased to see that the original target 14.c is no longer included in this document. While we would prefer the co-facilitator’s first revision, we are willing to express flexibility on the compromise language presently included in the draft.
c. We support the case of the LLDCs to be added to certain targets to accurately reflect existing international agreements. By the same token, we strongly advocate for SIDS inclusion in targets 1a, 9c, and 13b, in order to accurately reflect commitments made in the SAMOA Pathway and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. The general commitment to the SAMOA Pathway is very important to us, but in the case of these targets, getting the specifics right really does matter.
4. With regard to target 13.b, we must be clear. This target will “promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries…”
PSIDS do not deny the need to promote the objectives of this target in LDCs. However we note that as drafted it is restricted to LDCs. The special case of SIDS for sustainable development is well known, and rests largely on our vulnerability to climate change - which we have repeatedly acknowledged represents the gravest of threats to the survival and viability of our members, a number of whom are also LDCs. To fail to acknowledge the need to promote climate-related planning and management in SIDS is firmly entrenched in a number of international agreements, and to overlook it here threatens the credibility of this document.
It was for this reason that the Alliance of Small Island States reserved its interpretation on this target upon adoption of the report of the OWG on the 10th of September last year.
We count among the 12 members of the PSIDS 3 current LDCs, and many who have recently graduated from that status. This group in its entirety throws its full support behind the revision of this target. We must note that while graduation from LDC status is an aspiration for many, we will never graduate from the group of SIDS. The need to adapt to climate change is not going away. If this document does not firmly recognize that fact, we will be left behind.

I thank you, Co-facilitators.