Official Statement by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu, Hon. Moana Carcasses Katokai Kalosil, MP, to mark MSG Day Friday 14th March Government Building Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu Friday 14th March 2014 The Chief Justice of the Republic of Vanuatu; Vincent Lunabeck Leader of the Opposition; Hon. Ham Lini Vanuaroroa Honorable Ministers of the Vanuatu Government; Members of Parliament of the National Parliament of Vanuatu; Senior Officials of the Government of Vanuatu; Secretary General of the Vanuatu Christian Council; President of the Malvatumauri National Council of Chiefs; President of the Vaturisu Council of Chiefs; Chiefs of Vanuatu; Lord Mayor of the Port Vila Municipality and Councillors; Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Representatives of the Diplomatic Missions in Vanuatu; Director General and staff of the MSG Secretariat; Our Women; Our Youth; Our Children; Our MSG families; Ladies and Gentlemen; Distinguished Guests; 2 I extend to you all my most sincere greetings and best wishes on this historical day in the annual calendar of the MSG as members gather and commemorate the 26th year of the establishment of the Melanesian Spearhead Group as a sub-regional organization. Happy Celebrations MSG this 14th March 2014! As Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu, I am delighted and honored to be part of this celebration not just in Vanuatu but I extend warm wishes to the full membership of the MSG – FLNKS, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. I believe today is a special day for all of us and other MSG members today equally observe this day as an important event. As such, it is indeed a great honor for me to be standing here at the official venue, where the six point “Agreed principles of cooperation among the independent states of Melanesia” was signed by our founding fathers and pioneers of the MSG in Port Vila, Vanuatu on the 14th of March, 1988. 3 To mark this special occasion, I would like to invite you all to join me in paying tribute to our founding fathers of the MSG, Our Leaders and Senior Officials who are no longer with us who I strongly believe have made this dream of building a sub-region for all of us to becoming a reality today. [May I ask you all to join me in offering those of them who have passed, a moment of silence]. Thank you! Today 14th March 2014 will be the first year for the MSG family to formally mark the day as agreed and endorsed by the MSG Leaders at the 19th MSG Leaders Summit held in Noumea, New Caledonia in June 2013. As endorsed by the MSG Leaders, today is a time when we Melanesians should be proud of our achievements thus far. It was here that our founding fathers, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Paias Wingti, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands Ezekiel Alebua, and the Prime Minister of Vanuatu late Fr Walter Hadye Lini signed the Principles of Cooperation to unify and establish the first cooperation agreement between independent Melanesian States. It was also here that our Prime Minister late Father Walter Hadye Lini of Vanuatu coined the stand post phrase to unify the countries of Melanesia and I quote: “Vanuatu is still not free if not all Melanesia is free” end of quote. 4 On this occasion, I believe as a people from the biggest region in the Pacific and as Melanesians we must reflect on the developments and take stock of our achievements over the last 26 years and also importantly deliver the right message to our people for the future of this region. Our foundation was built on supporting the struggle of our Melanesian brothers and sisters of Kanaky, Timor Leste and West Papua. Our brothers and sisters of Kanaky and Papua are still not free. It is our duty to remember our founding principles of cooperation and our vision by our founding fathers to achieve independence for them. As we sit together today to mark this special day we also come to recognize and acknowledge the vision of our Leaders, Ministers and Senior Officials in endorsing some of our key issues that are aimed in alleviating poverty for our people. We are proud to witness the continuous development of our MSG Trade Agreement which is now going through a redraft period referred to as MSGTA3. MSG now has its’ own Skills Movement Scheme (SMS) where skilled workers are now given the opportunity to move freely to work within the member countries of PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji. 5 We also recognize and acknowledge the declaration by our Leaders to sign the MSG Framework Treaty on Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Culture to protect our many diverse cultures of Melanesia. Today we also recognize the work done to achieving our Humanitarian and Emergency Response Coordination Center (HERCC) that will coordinate the humanitarian and emergency response within our region in particular when our region is vulnerable to natural disasters. We are also proud to announce the establishment of the Department of Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO) for our MSG membership. Today we are also proud to announce the MSG Youth Desk within the MSG Secretariat which will focus on youth issues in our region. Ladies and Gentlemen, we also are proud to announce our declaration to promote our 5 Green Growth Goals on combatting Climate Change and Environmental challenges. Ladies and Gentlemen, in light of these continued efforts we also are proud to announce the support we continue to provide to the FLNKS of Kanaky-New Caledonia under our Declaration signed by our Leaders’ in June 2013 and also for West Papua. It is our duty to guide them through this decolonization process and I believe that we are one in continuing to champion their struggles for independence. 6 Today, the MSG has grown to be a strong and dynamic subregional organization. Although members continue to face many challenges we continue to prove that we are one in spearheading trade in the region and also now a key player in other development areas. After 26 years I see our grouping interacting more in making changes that will benefit member states and the Pacific at large. I must say I am proud to have been part of the Special Leaders’ Summit in New Caledonia in June 2013 that endorsed the setting up of the MSG Eminent Persons Group (EPG) who conducted their consultations with relevant institutions and stakeholders in our region on the vision and way forward for the MSG. I am proud to say that from the EPG Report we now have the Melanesian Plan for Prosperity for ALL that is now in the process of implementation in all our member countries. Ladies and Gentlemen, our plan is to achieve prosperity for all for our region. Today, I would like to also draw your attention on the recent successful championing by MSG member states such as Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea that saw the re-listing of the French Polynesia on to the Decolonization List at the United Nations General Assembly. I was honored and privileged to present to the UN Human Rights Council Meeting recently Vanuatu’s commitment to supporting the cause for the independence of West Papua and condemning the atrocities against the people of West Papua. 7 This solidarity by member states of the MSG in the United Nations reflects the maturity and high level of cooperation in the region. As I stand here today I appeal to our friends in the diplomatic corps to continue to observe and appreciate our desire to helping our brothers and sisters of Melanesia. Ladies and Gentlemen we continue to look forward to more key developments in our region. I am proud to announce that Leaders have endorsed and agreed that the MSG institute Meetings of Speakers of MSG Parliaments and Chief Justices of MSG Member Courts. This will be another important constituent body as we continue to recognize the relevance of these institutions as further strengthening the architectural set up of our organization. As Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu, I would like to sincerely congratulate the MSG and especially the Director General Mr Peter Forau and his capable and professional staff of the MSG Secretariat for assisting members in reaching new heights of social and economic development. I support fully the work of the Secretariat in implementing the Melanesian Plan for Prosperity for All. I believe the Secretariat capacity has now grown to compliment the many issues that have been mandated by our Leaders and for this I wish you DG and all staff of the MSG Secretariat all the best for this working year 2014. 8 To this end, Ladies and Gentlemen, today is MSG Day, we are here to celebrate our existence and how MSG as a strong grouping continues to promote peace, harmony, security and economic prosperity in the region. I believe that despite our many political, social, cultural, economic and environmental challenges – we as MSG continue to find solutions for our region. We have the right architecture and the right geography and know what is best for our region. Happy Celebrations MSG! and God will continue to guide and lead our people! Tank yu tumas Tank yu tru Oleti Vinaka Vakalevu Merci beaucoup
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 01:52:03 +0000
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