Theme : 3 Continents 3 Oceans 1 Common Destiny: Building a Resilient and Sustainable OACPS
His Excellency Mr João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço,
President of the Republic of Angola
His Excellency George Rebelo Pinto Chikoti
Secretary General of the OACPS
Heads of State and Government
Honourable Ministers
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen
Talofa and warm greetings from our Blue Pacific Continent.
Firstly, on behalf of all the Pacific delegations that have crossed oceans and continents to be here today, we thank the President of the Republic of Angola, the Government and People of Angola for their warm hospitality. ‘Obrigada’
We welcome this opportunity to reinvigorate and embrace a common identity.
Honourable Leaders, our respective countries which are already vulnerable have been harshly subjected to the multiple global crises, that are multi-dimensional and complex in their scope and nature. We are faced with a plethora of challenges that often require collective solutions. As the ACP family we are weathering unprecedented times, that calls for unity, solidarity and strengthened institutions. Four decades ago, we came together convinced that united, we are stronger. Not only to address our common challenges, but to realise our economic potential and make an impact on the international agenda. We also embraced effective, inclusive and durable partnerships, with shared values and goals that contribute to better the lives of our peoples.
As we gather here for this 10th Summit of OACPS Heads of State and Government, it is timely for us to look back and reflect on how we can build back better a resilient and sustainable OACPS, in the face of a climate emergency, the struggles of COVID19 recovery, global food and energy crises, rising debt, and growing inequalities to name a few. The overlay of geopolitical competition further magnifies and complicates matters, particularly so in our Blue Pacific continent.
Excellencies,
For the Pacific, climate change remains the single greatest threat to our security, prosperity and way of life. And likewise for the wider membership of the OACPS –SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs. We must collectively demand all countries, especially the big emitters, to make rapid, deep and sustained reductions in emissions to keep the 1.5 degrees goal alive. For us in the Pacific, if we are not on track to meet the 1.5 degree goal, much of our development efforts will continue to be reversed. The window to secure a liveable future for us, is closing faster than for everyone else.
As OACPS, a united stance in the global arena through implementation of relevant decisions is key. Such as, the support by the OACPS of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Declaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the face of
Climate Change-related Sea-level Rise. This is a priority for the Pacific, and with 64 of OACPS’ members who are also coastal states, we must catalyse the initiative to work collectively, to build wider international support, including through adoption of similar practices to create a global norm for preserving maritime zones.
Furthermore, we welcome an OACPS Leader’s commitment to adopt the United
Nations General Assembly Resolution for an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice on Climate Change. Again, this demonstrates the value, uniqueness and potential of the OACPS to become a powerful and united political bloc in various multilateral processes and settings. This will need to be assessed and explored, within the context of the revised Georgetown Agreement, as will be the need to secure other strategic partnerships for our sustainable development.
Partnerships
Securing strategic partnerships is vital to a resilient OACPS. We hold great potential in championing our own development pathways including through strengthening existing partnerships and pursuing new ones. We must look at intra-OACPS, south-south and triangular cooperation. We must also move beyond donor recipient relations with our partners. Focus should be for genuine and durable partnerships that are sustainable, and where we sit as equals. OACPS has enjoyed a long standing partnership with the EU, for example, and we stress the importance of finalising the signing of the Samoa agreement in Samoa before the end of June, next year. The Blue Pacific signing of this agreement and its effective implementation, must be a priority for OACPS and EU.
Oceans and the economy
Excellencies
The ocean is central to our identity, our livelihoods, and our future as large ocean States. The Ocean also unites us as OACPS. It sustains us and the world. A resilient ocean means a resilient planet and a resilient OACPS. We must protect preserve and sustainably use the ocean and the resources therein. Marine pollution including plastics must be curbed and eliminated.
We also seek greater economic development especially in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic which devastated tourism–dependent economies for all the Pacific. We need better protection for our oceans and fisheries resources, including bolstering local capacity to combat Illegal Unreported and Unregulated fishing. Optimising our OACPS strength in our engagement at the WTO and in multilateral financial institusions can bolster our efforts in supporting our development aspirations.
Our access to concessional finance is a necessity if we are to achieve our rebuilding efforts. The choice between rebuilding our economies and servicing our debts is an immediate and urgent dilemma. No country can pursue their sustainable development goals and be expected to also pay for their debts. The multidimensional vulnerability index provides a window to access concessional financing and must be supported.
Excellencies
For the Blue Pacific, our high-level response lies in the implementation of the
2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in July this year. Its long-term vision, values and thematic priorities to ensure sustainability and a resilient Pacific region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity; resonate with the strategies of the OACPS.
We are convinced, that we are stronger together. As OACPS, we must seize this opportunity to define and build a resilient and sustainable future for our peoples and places, because it would be remiss to underline there is nothing meaningful about us, without us.
The Pacific alone can make a huge difference. And we have. But the Blue Pacific, Africa and the Caribbean together, with the help of our partners, we can be transformational and unstoppable.
I thank you.
