Tuvalu

The people of Tuvalu, on whose behalf I have the honour to speak, wish me first of all to convey their warmest greetings to the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly. We express congratulations to you, Mr. President, on your election. Coming from a small island country as well, we hold your election in high regard and wish you success in your presidency. We also commend the outgoing President, Mr. Jan Kavan, for his excellent leadership in the General Assembly this past year. A year ago, we reflected on the events of 11 September 2001. On the eve of this session, we were horrified yet again by the brutal terrorist attacks on the United Nations in Iraq, which killed some of the Organization's finest, including its Special Envoy, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello. Tuvalu strongly condemns those acts and has joined in the great number of condolences to the Secretary-General, to his staff and to the families of the victims. The recent wave of terror attacks and the havoc they have created worldwide have instilled a sense of fear and uncertainty. They have not only proved the existence of forces bent on destroying the very foundation of the United Nations, they have also underscored the urgency with which we must collectively combat those forces. As a small island developing country, Tuvalu's greatest fear is that, in the wake of such events, developed countries will lack the resolve to address as well the developmental and environmental issues that are so fundamental to lasting international peace and security. In Tuvalu, and the Pacific in general, our isolation, fragmentation and lack of infrastructure and manpower leave us vulnerable to terrorism. This threatens our security, especially the security of our traditional and cultural practices upon which our very existence depends. Likewise, this also threatens the security of the world. We are therefore grateful for the anti-terrorism efforts of the United Nations in cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum and through direct contact with national authorities. For our part, I am pleased to say that Tuvalu is committed to acceding to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three protocols, as well as United Nations conventions against terrorism, including the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel. In this spirit, we are also committed to regional security arrangements, as set out by the Pacific Islands Forum. But to fulfil our international obligations on anti- terrorism, we need technical and financial assistance. More importantly, capacity-building through appropriate education and human development, for which we seek the support of the international community, is vitally important to strengthen our resilience in the face of such vulnerabilities. Conflict prevention is vital to national, regional and world peace. Tuvalu shares the view that conflicts are best resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding of the root causes. The United Nations must continue to address the underlying causes of conflicts and be the common forum where nations resolve their differences. Attempts to resolve conflicts by unilateral means outside the United Nations inevitably result in ongoing mistrust and instability. The stakes are too high to allow this to happen. We must continue to engage in constructive dialogue. Let me briefly speak on a related matter. Each year, highly radioactive and toxic material passes through the Pacific by ship on its way to and from north Asia and Europe. It is known that some of the materials are weapons-grade. We are concerned about 22 these shipments because of the massive threat they pose to the Pacific Ocean a vital source of our livelihoods and economic development. We would like these shipments to cease for the sake of the inhabitants of the islands and stability of the broader Pacific basin. We believe the United Nations has a very important peacekeeping role to play, and are therefore grateful for the progress made by the United Nations in restoring peace in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. We hope that the United Nations will continue its support there, to ensure meaningful opportunities and peace for the people of Bougainville. Tuvalu noted, however, the manner in which the United Nations has handled the conflict in the Solomon Islands. As a small island and a least developed country, similarly susceptible to instability, we strongly feel that the United Nations must better respond to Member States' concerns, irrespective of political affiliations. The United Nations is a body for all nations, and all nations should be afforded the assistance required of it. In the same spirit, Tuvalu places significant importance on the need to treat everybody equally, as enshrined in the Charter. Accordingly, Tuvalu believes that to deny representation at the United Nations to the 23 million people of the Republic of China on Taiwan, who are active and responsible participants in world affairs, especially in trade, commerce and international development, is unjust and morally wrong. Their significant contributions to technology and their own need for access to international support to combat the challenges of terrorism and health epidemics such as HIV/AIDS and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) cannot be continually ignored. In our view the United Nations, which prides itself on the protection of fundamental human rights, including the right to self-determination, and which upholds the dignity and worth of the human being, cannot continue to turn a blind eye to ignore the obvious realities of the situation. Just as the people of Taiwan have so responsibly contributed to international development, they also need the support of the international community. Their continuing isolation could potentially give rise to serious conflicts. Tuvalu would therefore like to call on this august body to seriously and urgently consider the issue of membership of the Republic of China on Taiwan in the United Nations and its agencies. On 1 October, Tuvalu will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of its independence. On reflection, we are grateful for the support of the international community, particularly from Tuvalu's traditional development and regional partners over the past quarter century. Guided by the principles of good governance, respect for the rule of law and human rights, democracy and self- determination, to which we are deeply committed, and with the help of such support, Tuvalu has been able to prosper and enjoy a peaceful and equal coexistence with the rest of the world. Our future survival as a nation is founded on these basic United Nations values. Despite relative stability, we live in constant fear of the adverse impact of climate change. For a coral- atoll nation, sea level rise and more severe weather events loom as a growing threat to our entire population. The threat is real and serious, and we liken it to a slow and insidious form of terrorism against us. In this respect, Tuvalu is actively participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, and we are extremely grateful to all the nations that have joined us in resolving this threat. Nevertheless, we are deeply dismayed that key industrialized nations do not share our concern. Climate change affects all nations. This is not just a problem for small island States like our own. We believe that all nations must take positive steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. But we also believe that the industrialized world must act first. It is the emissions from the past that are creating the problems of today. Steps must be taken to account for and redress the emissions of the past. We implore all nations to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, as this is the only appropriate process that will bring about effective collective action to resolve this growing threat. As Tuvalu moves into the twenty-first century, we are also challenged by the many changes that are taking place in the world, especially those brought about by globalization. Never before have we faced such complex challenges. Yet, for Tuvalu and others like us, while we witness every day the forces of trade, communications and travel creating a single global community, the problems of poverty, marginalization and environmental decline continue to plague many parts of the world. The recent breakdown in discussions on international trade in Cancun, Mexico, clearly shows 23 that we live in a very complex world. If nothing else, the Cancun meeting was a significant step forward for the voice of the developing world. No longer are the developing nations willing to accept the rhetoric of those who want to impose a trade regime that tends to favour the wealthy and marginalize the poor. Tuvalu and many island States are in a particularly weak position to take advantage of the opportunities presented by globalization. There is a genuine need to better recognize the special case of small island developing States and of their need to participate in a more equitable globalized world. Sustainable development, particularly for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable States, especially for small island least developed countries is crucial. Of course, we recognize that the primary responsibility for sustainable development rests with each country, on its own terms. However, as a poorly resourced small island least developed countries, even the best efforts to escape the cycle of poverty and marginalization are doomed without the support of the international community, civil society and the private sector. Tuvalu and those like us are encouraged by the commitment of the international community to addressing poverty and development challenges, as contained in the Millennium Development Goals, Millennium Declaration and other various United Nations development frameworks. But these will remain mere rhetoric unless they translate into real development that can make a difference on the ground. In that regard, proper and effective implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States is crucial for the development of countries like Tuvalu. To that end, conducting a full and comprehensive review of the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action in the lead up to the International Meeting in Mauritius next year is imperative. We kindly request the United Nations Secretariat to undertake this analysis as a matter of high priority so that we can learn from the past and move forward in a more positive way. That said, however, the overall decline in official development assistance in real terms is cause for serious concern. Despite pledges at the Monterrey Conference, major industrialized nations are not fulfilling the minimum target of 0.7 per cent of their gross national product. For small island States, that reluctance translates into lower economic growth, as well as into widening the gap between the least developed countries and the industrialized nations. Tuvalu therefore appeals to the donor countries to make serious efforts to meet the United Nations minimum official development assistance target to enable the least developed countries to attain a better quality of life for all their peoples. In conclusion, for atoll island States like Tuvalu, efforts aimed at sustainable development, peace and security will be meaningless unless the issue of climate change is addressed with urgency. As has been warned by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change in its Third Assessment Report, the threat of global warming and rising sea levels is serious business. Addressing these threats requires a global effort by both industrialized and developing countries, consistent with the objectives of, and the commitments made in, the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Again, Tuvalu's interest in enforcing the Kyoto Protocol is not self-serving. The consequences of not urgently enforcing Kyoto will be felt everywhere around the world. Tuvalu appeals to the countries that can make the difference to ratify the Kyoto Protocol as a matter of urgency. As we in Tuvalu celebrate our Silver Jubilee anniversary, and as we look forward into the future, it is our hope that out of this great Hall there will emerge better understanding and good will, to further solidify the foundation upon which the long- lasting security and survival of Tuvalu and many others is built and for peace in the world.