Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Small states matter.
Over the past eight decades, small states have been amongst the most consistent advocates for, and most influential contributors to, the rules-based international system that underpins our collective security and prosperity.
Collaborating with small states to realise their development objectives is fundamental to delivering our global development objectives. However, too often their unique interests and vulnerabilities have been overlooked by the international community.
Advancing the interests of SIDS has long been a central priority for New Zealand’s foreign policy. This is in part due to our relationship with Pacific SIDS, who are amongst our closest neighbours, partners, and friends.
Our proximity, shared history and populations, and close cultural, economic, political and sporting links, mean we share a direct stake in our region’s peace, stability, prosperity and resilience.
We face a shared Pacific destiny. However, this destiny appears more uncertain than at any point in recent memory.
Ten-years on from the SAMOA Pathway, and despite progress in some areas, the social, economic, and environmental development challenges faced by SIDS are more acute than ever.
Fortunately, the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) offers a blueprint for our collective efforts to realise SIDS development aspirations. New Zealand is honoured to have served as Co-Chair of the preparatory process for this conference.
We are also proud to be co-facilitating preparations for a High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise, given its relevance to SIDS.
Climate Vulnerabilities
SIDS leaders have made clear that climate change is the defining issue that imperils the lives, livelihoods and wellbeing of their peoples. While SIDS are some of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, they have contributed the least to causing it.
Scaling up climate action in this critical decade, and limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, is vital to reducing the severity of climate impacts on SIDS.
Doing so will also require investing in innovative solutions.
Allow me to share three examples of New Zealand's innovative climate support:
- First, in response to calls from Pacific governments to have greater autonomy over their climate response, New Zealand established its Country Flexible Finance programme. The programme provides finance directly through partner governments for use towards the climate priorities that they themselves have identified. It has been welcomed across the region and cited as an example for providers of finance to follow.
- Second, a programme which builds Pacific regional and national capacities to plan for and address loss and damage. This includes non-economic loss and damage, a priority for many SIDS that is often overlooked, by promoting and preserving cultural knowledge.
- And third, Weather Ready Pacific - a USD160 million, Pacific-designed and led programme, to enable Pacific SIDS to better anticipate and respond to high impact and extreme weather.
Economic and social vulnerabilities
Further, New Zealand supports the decades-long effort by SIDS to have their unique vulnerabilities to shocks appropriately recognised and addressed by the international development and climate finance systems.
The data produced by the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index should be helpful for SIDS and their partners in this regard.
Going forward we must enable SIDS to build more resilient economies to underpin the improved security and well-being of their peoples.
Greater connectivity, strengthened social protection systems, and boosted heath, education, and food security programmes will further enhance SIDS well-being.Building capability, strengthening governance, and empowering people through a gender lens also be crucial.
Data and monitoring
At a very practical level, country-led data collection and analysis, and monitoring and evaluation, will be necessary to monitor SIDS' progress.
New Zealand is pleased to support the Pacific Data Hub, a regional mechanism for collating and building capacity for the collection and analysis of data and statistics.
We encourage development partners to both support and use partner-led data and statistics, and centralised data hubs – such as the proposed Antigua and Barbuda-based SIDS Centre of Excellence.
The timely development of a monitoring and evaluation framework for the the ABAS will be crucial to ensure concrete implementation and action.
Making commitments
Together we need to lock in roadmaps for action that address the threats of climate change and realise a sustainable and resilient future for the people of Small Island Developing States.
If we do not achieve the goals we have collectively set ourselves, then by SIDS5 in 2034, the impacts of climate change and the lived vulnerability to external shocks experienced by SIDS will be even more severe.
New Zealand is committed to the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS.
Thank you.