The Prime Minister of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao says the establishment of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) marks the begin of historic journey for the Pacific. Speaking at the opening of the inaugural PIDF meeting in Nadi, Fiji, Gusmao told delegates the voices of the Pacific will not be heard if a country is speaking alone. “Our countries are subjected to increasingly unexpected, even random threats, requiring greater adaptation capacity and a joint response, through dialogue, tolerance and mutual understanding between nations, with an imperative to respect the specific needs of each country and their peoples. "The imminent global challenges in this century are increasingly diverse with the Pacific Islands being particularly vulnerable, as we all know, to climate change as well as to challenges resulting from security in the areas of energy, food and humanity’s most precious resource: water. "The economic region of the Pacific Islands has great potential to overcome the difficult obstacles to which it is exposed if every country works together under an integrated plan, with new synergies and strategic partnerships. I think that by now we all know that our voices will not be heard if we are speaking alone,” Gusmao told delegates. He said the threat brought about by the effects of climate change in the region requires regional support. “It is not with isolated efforts that we will be able to overcome the fact that Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu faces from the permanent and irreversible threat of drowning into the vastness of the ocean. The developed countries, which are the ones that contribute the most to climate change, must by moral obligation think of a plan of financial compensation to enable these countries to safeguard the dignity of their States and their peoples. “And it was the developed economies that caused the great global financial crisis which does not give us much hope that the post-2015 Development Agenda will be achievable in the medium term. And these highly developed countries allowed, in their own nations, very serious social and economic problems being created throwing millions into unemployment and making them fearful for their future, as can be seen, for example, throughout Europe. "We need to change the global macroeconomic policy model that is too rigid and of little use, and that only benefits the wealthy countries to the detriment of the poor. "In this topsy-turvy world, global priorities are still muddled. International policies should focus on human beings as an end - rather than as a mean to achieve less dignified goals,” Gusmao said. He said Timor-Leste, as well as in the Pacific Islands can find a combination of the best that nature has to offer. “We share the same conviction that the Timorese, and all peoples of the Pacific, will know how to take advantage in a peculiar way of their precarious resources transforming them into major achievements. And because of this, we can achieve our dreams of building sustainable industries for selling our products in local and international markets. “We have tropical forests, stunning mountains and idyllic beaches. We have in the depths of our seas our wealth of corals and other maritime fauna, with incredible biodiversity. "Our tourism will have to be developed alongside other sectors, such as agriculture, rural and infrastructure development, under an integrated plan that will contribute to the sustainable development of the population, he said. “In the near future we will be investing in better mechanisms of disaster risk management through acquiring early warning systems that will enable us to anticipate threats in order to be better prepared to respond. In addition to this, we know that preparation for natural disasters demands a great effort to mitigate our vulnerabilities. "The challenge is enormous: the poverty of our peoples instils in our minds an urgent need for growth. However, we are aware that this growth cannot be achieved by compromising the means future generations,” he explained. Gusmao said Pacific countries need to ensure ownership over the development process more than development for all. He said it is time to talk about development by all. “Pacific Islands have special importance in terms of the “green and blue economy”, since they own the world’s largest ocean. "This entails enormous economic and commercial potential, but also great responsibility, since protecting the oceans is vital for the well-being of the peoples of the Pacific and for all of humanity. "I believe that the large ocean Island States should receive international recognition and greater support, both for protecting this world heritage and for overcoming the specific challenges they face and their vulnerabilities,” he said . “If today the role of the forest is well known and advocated in the international arena, then the same must be true of the oceans, particularly the Pacific Ocean, which is a living deposit of biodiversity and a lung for our planet. It is important that the Pacific Ocean benefits from a strengthened protection mechanism and from an awareness-raising strategy that changes the global agenda in an effective and substantial manner. “The defence of a “green economy” will always be limited if we focus entirely on land and forget the greater area that are the oceans. “The countries in our region are in the frontline to lead this debate, both due to necessity and strategy. This debate must be coordinated and integrated, so that we may have strategic cooperation to ensure better living conditions for our peoples. After all, they are the curators of this enormous heritage of humanity. "Alone we are a drop in the ocean, together we have the power to set a sustainable future for our natural resources, our economies and our peoples, he explained. Source: PACNEWS
Posted on: Tue, 06 Aug 2013 03:44:07 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015