Wednesd20 September 09:00 – 10:15- President Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. arrived in New York for the 72nd United Nations General Assembly on September 19th and headed straight from JFK International Airport to the Japan-Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) hosted by Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. [/restrict]
Joining fellow Pacific leaders with Prime Minister Abe, President Remengesau discussed possible outcomes for the upcoming PALM 8 in May 2018 such as cooperation on the challenges of climate change, disaster prevention, North Korea nuclear threats, maritime security, and reforms to the UN Security Council.
Leaders from seventeen countries were invited to take part in the PALM with Prime Minister Abe including Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
On September 20, President Remengesau started off the day at the side event “The Oceans – a wealth of opportunities” co-hosted by the Republic of Palau and the Kingdom of Norway. The aim of the event was to promote action and international partnerships that will strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of our oceans and marine resources.
The event was attended by nearly 200 people from national governments, the private sector, and non-government agencies to discuss and contribute experience and knowledge, that will make it easier to find sustainable solutions to today’s challenges.
The overall question presented at the event was, how can we ensure closer coordination between the various ocean initiatives and actors in the time ahead?
President Remengesau began remarks at the event calling for stronger communication between stakeholders and called for stronger participation by the United Nations as the conduit between parties towards more active implementation of SDG Goal 14- to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
Her Excellency, Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway, in her remarks called for stronger partnerships and accelerated activities towards SDG 14 implementations expressing that all of what needed to be said have been said, the plans have been made and we must start acting now. “We have just 13 years until 2030, we need to start doing and stop talking.”
High level speakers at the “Oceans-a wealth of opportunities” event were:
HE Ms Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway
HE Mr Tommy Remengesau, President of the Republic of Palau
Keynote by HE Ms Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile
HE Mr Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji
HE Mr António Costa, Prime Minister of the Republic of Portugal
HE Yusuf Kalla, Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia
HE Ms Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary General
HE Mr Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment
“Oceans-a wealth of opportunities” -Speakers representing civil society, regional organisations and business sector:
Ms Baylee Ritter, World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council
HE Mr Josefa Leonel Carreio Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union
HE Mr Colin Granderson, Assistant Secretary General CARICOM
Mr James Movick, Director General of Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency
Ms Hege Skryseth, EVP Kongsberg Group, President Kongsberg Digital
Mr Bill Dewey, Director, Taylor Shellfish Farms
Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman, Foundation for the Global Compact [/restrict]