Tuvalu

I have the greatest honour to speak on behalf of the people of Tuvalu, who wish me first of all to convey their warmest greetings to this session of the General Assembly. We also extend our sincere congratulations to you, Mr. President, on your election and assure you of our full cooperation. 18 We congratulate the outgoing President, Mr. Julian Hunte of Saint Lucia, for his excellent leadership. Coming from a small island developing State ourselves, we are proud of the many achievements so ably accomplished under his presidency. We would also like to extend our warmest gratitude to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, and his staff for their dedication to the work of the United Nations. The United Nations, through the Secretary-General’s High Representative, participated in the Pacific Island Forum Leaders meeting, held in Samoa last month, at which a new strategy for regional cooperation in the Pacific, the Pacific Plan, was considered. That is highly commendable. Like all Forum members, Tuvalu looks forward to United Nations solidarity and support, bilaterally and through the Pacific Island Forum and other Pacific regional organizations, in order to realize that Pacific initiative. Tuvalu is privileged and proud to be in this most indispensable body, the United Nations. Our presence here demonstrates our belief in the noble principles and goals of the United Nations. At the same time, however, we are constantly reminded of our responsibilities to all Tuvaluans, who every day worry about their future economic, cultural, environmental and long-term security and survival on our small, isolated and extremely vulnerable islands. Tuvuluans wonder if the pride of being in the United Nations is commensurate with the many aspired needs of our people. Is there any real value of being at the United Nations to the villagers and local communities, who can barely overcome the limitations posed by the lack of opportunities, marginalization, isolation, economic exclusion and their extreme vulnerability? It is our strong belief that to maintain its legitimacy and relevance to all, the United Nations needs to reassess its role and functions in order to better reflect the reality of today’s world, in line with its principle of sovereign, equitable participation and representation. We therefore support ongoing reforms in the work of the United Nations. In particular, we support the increase in the number of both permanent and non-permanent seats in the Security Council. Expansion, in our view, should be considered on the basis of responsible contribution to international development and peace, and in this vein we would support the allocation of a permanent seat to Japan. We also believe more equitable representation of the developing countries in the non-permanent seats of the Council is vital and long overdue. Security challenges continue to create worldwide havoc, fear and uncertainty. Terrorist acts, including the unfortunate seizure of a school in Russia, have proven the continued existence of forces bent on undermining the United Nations founding goals of freedom, peace and security. They have also underscored the urgency with which we, the United Nations, must collectively combat these forces. Tuvalu is fully committed to joining the fight against international terrorism as required by Security Council resolutions. But we would need to seek the assistance of the United Nations and the international community to help us fulfil those requirements, particularly the reporting requirements of those resolutions and of the international anti-terrorism conventions. Tuvalu recognizes the seriousness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in relation to the social and economic development and security of Tuvalu and other Pacific island countries. Given our exposure and the level of mobility of our communities, particularly our seafarers who serve on merchant ships worldwide, there is an urgent need for assistance from the international community, such as that provided under the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, in order to combat the threats of the epidemic. As is widely acknowledged, a serious challenge to Tuvalu and to all small island developing States is our unique vulnerability to external forces. That vulnerability arises not from our own actions but simply from our being islands with small economies, our isolation, our fragmentation and the fragility of our natural environments. These factors taken together translate into significant constraints on development and a severe lack of capacity to cope with the many changes taking place in the world, especially through globalization. Yet for us in small island developing States, although we witness daily the forces of trade, communications and travel creating a single global community, the problems associated with poverty, lack of opportunity, marginalization and environmental decline continue to plague our efforts. There is a genuine need for the United Nations and the international community to better recognize the special 19 and unique circumstances of small island developing States and their aspirations to participate more equitably in a globalized world. Sustainable development, particularly for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable developing States, is most crucial. In June, Tuvalu undertook a comprehensive review of its development priorities and adopted a national sustainable development strategy that we call “The Tuvalu Vision 2015”, premised on international development agendas, including the review of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, and aimed at building Tuvalu’s resilience in coping with the challenges it faces. The promotion of good governance, democratic principles and respect for the rule of law is strongly recognized as fundamental to the successful implementation of that strategy. We acknowledge with greatest appreciation the generous support of the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Italy and the Republic of China on Taiwan, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Asian Development Bank in that exercise. We look forward to partnering with them, and with others in the international community, in the realization of that strategy. As a poorly resourced small island developing State and a least developed country as well, even our best efforts to escape the cycle of poverty and marginalization are doomed to failure without the meaningful support of the international community, civil society and the private sector. The Millennium Declaration, the Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation have all provided clear road maps for partnerships towards sustainable development. The signposts offered under these road maps will remain mere rhetoric unless they translate into real developments, responsive to the unique needs of small island developing States such as Tuvalu. It is for these reasons that full and effective implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States is ever so crucial. Tuvalu is very encouraged by the progress so far achieved in the review of the Programme. However, success in the further implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action will depend entirely on a better appreciation of the unique situation of small island developing States such as Tuvalu, easier access to and the provision of adequate financial and technical resources, development aid and the dissemination of appropriate technology, particularly for new and renewable energy and capacity-building. In terms of natural resources, Tuvalu is truly a small island country in a big ocean. The Pacific Ocean surrounding our islands provides the vital source of our livelihoods and our economic and social development. Increasingly, however, we are concerned with the real threats of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and of ocean pollution from waste, particularly from the trans-shipment of highly radioactive and toxic materials through our region. We seek the understanding of the international community to help us save our oceans and support fully the Pacific Islands Regional Ocean Policy adopted by our Government leaders in 2002. The overall decline in overseas development assistance in real terms is cause for serious concern. The failure of developed countries to fulfil the United Nations minimum target of providing 0.7 per cent of their gross national product in overseas development assistance to small island developing States translates into lower economic growth as well as a further widening development gap for small island developing States such as Tuvalu. This needs to be addressed urgently. An important source of financial flows to developing countries, particularly to small island developing States such as Tuvalu, is migrant workers’ remittances from developed countries. Indeed, remittances from our overseas workers, and particularly Tuvaluan seafarers serving abroad, provide a substantial source of income, which is so vital for social and economic development in Tuvalu. Tuvalu fully supports giving urgent international attention to the issue of migrant workers’ rights, including the maintenance of international standards specifying minimum requirements for certificates of competency and provisions for the safety and security of migrant workers, in order to ensure the continuation of this vital source of capital for SIDS. The international meeting in Mauritius in January must result in a stronger commitment from the international community and in pragmatic and doable actions on the ground in all small island developing States. An issue of continuing concern to Tuvalu is the question of the representation of the Republic of China 20 on Taiwan in the United Nations. Regrettably, this Organization cannot be said to be universal without the rightful representation of the 23 million people of the Republic of China on Taiwan. Tuvalu feels that the active and responsible participation of the Republic of China on Taiwan in world affairs — especially in trade, commerce and international development — without representation in the United Nations is unjust and morally wrong and needs to be corrected. We in Tuvalu, a mere three meters above sea level, live in constant fear of the adverse impact of climate change and the rising sea level. Our livelihoods and sources of food security are already badly affected. With increased ground water salinity, land erosion and coral bleaching, we experience total anxiety. The threat is real and serious and is like a slow and insidious form of terrorism against Tuvalu. Tuvalu, therefore, accords significant importance to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol, as they provide the most appropriate global framework to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We congratulate the Framework Convention secretariat as the Convention marks its tenth anniversary this year. However, we are deeply concerned by the failure and the lack of leadership on the part of industrialized countries in the implementation of commitments and in the ratification and enforcing of the Kyoto Protocol. We in small island developing States recognize that all nations must take steps to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions at some stage. However, Tuvalu believes that the Kyoto Protocol must be the first step in this direction for now and for setting the way forward in the future. The Protocol as such must enter into force without delay. However, the industrialized countries must act first as it is their legacy of emissions that is creating the problems of today. Actions must also include assisting small island developing States in their adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change, particularly in terms of urgently providing adequate financial and technical resources in line with the responsibilities and obligations under the Framework Convention. As we mark the tenth anniversary of the Framework Convention, and as we begin to explore future actions against climate change and sea-level rise, we appeal for more attention from the United Nations, whose raison d’être is to ensure world peace and security, and for stronger leadership by the international community against this global threat. In conclusion, we want to say that efforts aimed at the sustainable development of small island States like Tuvalu will have no meaning unless the issue of climate change and sea level is addressed decisively and with urgency. Tuvalu’s interest in enforcing Kyoto is not self-serving. The more serious consequences of not acting now, as we are already witnessing the world over, will be felt everywhere. It is our hope that, out of this common house of our United Nations family, there will emerge better understanding and goodwill for the long-lasting security and survival of Tuvalu, of SIDS and of the whole world. God bless the United Nations.