Solomon Islands, 2009

I bring warm

greetings to the Assembly from the happy isles and

convey my Government and people’s profound

congratulations to Mr. Treki on his assumption of the

presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth

session. We are confident that, under his leadership, we

will harvest the opportunities the global agenda has to

offer.

My delegation further takes this opportunity to

commend his predecessor, Mr. Miguel d’Escoto

Brockmann. He indeed provided exemplary leadership

and inspired us to realize our unique collective

strength. Throughout his tenure in office, he kept the

most vulnerable people at the front, centre and back of

all of our engagements. We wish him God’s blessing in

his future endeavours.

The global financial and economic crisis has

presented immense challenges to the international

community. Simply put, the effects of the crisis are

impacting all members of the United Nations family.

Consequently, Solomon Islands’ economy has been hit

by low commodity prices, declining revenues and

widening budgetary deficits. My country has responded

by freezing all Government recruitment and reducing

national recurrent and development expenditures by

35 per cent. Between 2008 and 2009, our economic

growth has taken a negative dive from 6 per cent to

1 per cent, which is affecting the delivery of services to

our people.

The world has taken measures to address the

systematic fragilities of the international financial

system. To this end, Solomon Islands welcomes the

outcome of the June 2009 Conference on the financial

crisis, calling for greater cooperation by all, including

the reform of the Bretton Woods institutions. We

remain hopeful that the stimulus packages dished out

reach the poorest of the poor, as many will be under

stress for a long time to come.

Frequent natural disasters are threatening

development across the world and climate change

continues to affect the lives of our people, creating new

pockets of poverty while continuing to increase as

threats. Unless an ambitious outcome emanates from

Copenhagen, we will find that we are fighting a losing

battle. I join the call for urgent action, particularly for

small island developing States and least developed

countries. For us, climate change poses the most

serious threat to our survival and viability, and

undermines our efforts to achieve sustainable

development.

Solomon Islands fully subscribes to the

declaration issued this week by the Alliance of Small

Islands Developing States. The benchmark for the

negotiations must be founded on the vulnerability of

the small island developing States and the least

developed countries. Science tells us that the future of

low-lying islands is uncertain unless deep and

ambitious cuts to harmful greenhouse gas emissions

are undertaken by Annex 1 countries at levels greater

than 45 per cent of 1990 levels by 2020 and more than

95 per cent of 1990 levels by 2050. We call for the

global average temperature to increase well below

1.5 degrees Celsius if we are to prevent the

acidification of our oceans from threatening our very

existence.

Deforestation and forest degradation contribute

nearly 20 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Solomon Islands agrees that this should be one of the

mitigating solutions for protecting the health of our

environment. We further urge that this be considered as

an outcome in Copenhagen. My country is currently

carrying out an inventory of its forests and intends to

participate in the carbon market. We also hope that

multilateral financial mechanisms will become

available to the most vulnerable States in ensuring that

appropriate technology transfer for renewable energy

receives the attention it deserves.

Solomon Islands is a peace-loving country and

believes that we need to seriously seek a stable

international system. This can be achieved by calling

for global restraint on all military spending and making

a firm commitment to begin holistic multilateral

disarmament negotiations. This is an issue that has

been stalled for years on end and continues to be

09-52470 50

weakly addressed through piecemeal multilateral arms

agreements.

Solomon Islands emerged from a conflict

situation 11 years ago. This year marks the sixth

anniversary of our partnership with the Regional

Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, commonly

referred to as RAMSI. Under the partnership, State

institutions have been strengthened and political

stability has allowed our Parliament to enact some

30 laws in less than 24 months. Public services are

reaching out to the scattered populations on our

hundreds of islands, indicating that change is

happening.

This year, our relationship with RAMSI has

progressed from one of assistance to one of

partnership, providing for a framework of cooperation

between the two parties, with clearly defined joint

strategic goals, distinct roles and commitments, with

the overall objective of creating a secure, stable and

self-sustaining socio-economic and political system for

all Solomon Islanders. The Foreign Relations

Committee of our national Parliament has completed

its review of the facilitation of the International

Assistance Act and will submit its report to the national

legislature in November. I take this moment to thank

my Pacific neighbours for their continued support and

contribution to the Regional Mission. It is our fervent

hope that this partnership can increase its international

visibility and interact more with the United Nations, as

provided for under the relevant chapter of the Charter.

As part of our nation-building and healing

process, Solomon Islands instituted its Truth and

Reconciliation Commission in April. Officiating at the

launch of the Commission was Nobel laureate and

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa.

The Commission allows Solomon Islands to revisit one

of the darkest chapters of its history, and we do so with

courage, perseverance and a desire to seek a just and

permanent peace within our growing nation. To this

end, we thank the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP) and all our partners for their

support.

The time frame for the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs) is fast drawing to a close. The Solomon

Islands supports the proposal to convene a review

summit next year, and hopes that the forthcoming

gathering will reinvigorate our global partnership and

enable it to realize the Millennium Development Goals

within the given time frame. My country also

welcomes the decision of the General Assembly

(resolution 63/227) to convene the Fourth United

Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries

in 2011. Similarly, we welcome the review of the

Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of

the Programme of Action for the Sustainable

Development of Small Island Developing States,

scheduled for next year. Both review processes should

strengthen the global partnerships and commitments

undertaken within agreed international cooperative

frameworks.

Eighty five per cent of the population of Solomon

Islands resides in rural areas. Therefore, we have

adopted a rural-focused development approach in our

efforts to meet the MDGs. Solomon Islands is poised to

make gains in achieving some of these goals through

various partnerships. In this regard, I am pleased to

acknowledge that, with the support of New Zealand

and the Republic of China, the Solomon Islands is now

offering free basic education for its children through

the third form. Work has also begun on eliminating

malaria, the number-one killer in the Solomon Islands,

with the launch of the programme in one of our nine

provinces. My Government thanks Australia for its

support and contribution to that end. I also wish to

thank the Republic of China, the European Union and

other development partners for their contribution to the

advancement of the Government’s rural development

policy.

Human development remains a key ingredient of

our fight against poverty. Solomon Islands opened a

school of tourism this year. We have shifted resources

towards developing our tourism industry in order to

offset the projected revenue loss resulting from the

reduced harvesting of our natural forests. The same

policy also applies to the agriculture, fisheries and

mining sectors.

South-South cooperation continues to invest in

our people; it has guaranteed the education of

50 students studying in Cuba, and my country thanks

Cuba for the gesture. Solomon Islands also thanks its

Melanesian neighbour Papua New Guinea for its

ongoing bilateral assistance by increasing our presence

in Port Moresby and offering scholarships to our

students studying in Papua New Guinea.

Global dynamics have changed since the United

Nations was established 64 years ago. The membership

51 09-52470

then numbered only 51. Reform of the Security

Council has eluded us for the past 15 years. We

therefore need to increase the legitimacy of our

Council and strengthen its role in preserving

international peace. In this regard, my delegation was

pleased to see the debate on Security Council reform

progress into informal intergovernmental negotiations

at the previous session of the General Assembly. We

are equally pleased to note that three rounds of

negotiations have occurred in the past eight months,

signifying that the multilateral seed of reform of our

institutions has been sowed. We need to ensure that it

takes root at this session.

The relations of the Secretariat with Member

States are important. The interaction of Solomon

Islands with our Organization has grown and matured

over time. Our Government is now finalizing the

allocation of land to give the United Nations a

permanent home in our capital. We hope that the

Secretariat will reciprocate this gesture and seriously

consider maintaining a fully fledged country presence

in Solomon Islands. Comparatively speaking, despite

the fact that my nation has one of the largest

subregional country programmes, relations continue to

be micromanaged from abroad. My delegation takes

this opportunity once again to renew our call to

upgrade the UNDP country presence in Solomon

Islands from Deputy Resident Representative level to

Resident Representative.

Here it would be remiss of me not to welcome

UNDP’s new Administrator, Ms. Helen Clark. We wish

her every success in her tenure in office and are

confident that she will look at all issues with fresh

eyes. Development is, after all, one of the highest

callings of our Organization. Solomon Islands also

encourages the Secretariat to ensure that its staff

represents the diversity of its membership, in particular

that of States that have yet to fulfil their quota.

Over the past couple of months, coastal States

with continental shelves have made submissions to

extend their respective territorial claims beyond their

200-mile exclusive economic zones. I am pleased to

inform this Assembly that Solomon Islands has

submitted a number of claims and looks forward to

working with the Commission on the Limits of the

Continental Shelf.

While extending an exclusive economic zone is a

sovereign decision, we are mindful of our global

environmental responsibilities. Solomon Islands is one

of the six countries of the Coral Triangle Initiative.

Three months ago, leaders from the Philippines,

Malaysia, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea

and Solomon Islands met in Indonesia and agreed to

work collaboratively across political boundaries to

conserve 75 per cent of the world’s coral species,

40 per cent of the world’s reef fish species and 51 per

cent of the world’s mangrove species. Our populations

rely on our marine resources for survival and income.

We hope to keep it that way for generations to come.

Good information and data are vital to allowing

national and international systems to make informed

decisions. In this connection, we would like to see

United Nations support for our national statistics office

for the collation of data in real time and its distribution

to all decision makers.

To foster a vibrant economy, investment in

infrastructure is needed. I am pleased to say that we

have finally enacted a law that will open up our

telecommunications industry to competition.

On the issue of human rights, Solomon Islands

recognizes that all human rights are universal,

indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually

reinforcing. All human rights must be treated in a fair

and equal manner, on the same footing and with the

same emphasis. That is one of the principles of the

newly established Human Rights Council.

Solomon Islands continues to support the

Council’s internationally agreed principles.

Unfortunately, within the Third Committee issues of

human rights continue to be heavily politicized,

divisive and country-specific, in disregard of the

universal principles of cooperation and dialogue. My

delegation would like to see the universal periodic

review be the reference point for assessing countries’

human rights situations.

Before I say anything about Taiwan’s cross-Strait

relations, Solomon Islands conveys its sympathy and

embraces the pain and suffering of all those impacted

by typhoon Morakot. We also acknowledge the spirit

and strength of the Government and people of the

Republic of China in rising above that tragedy with

resilience to rebuild their lives and recover from the

natural catastrophe.

My country continues to follow cross-Strait

developments with deep interest. A new era of relations

09-52470 52

is emerging between the Republic of China and the

People’s Republic of China. Relations have been

marked by an increased series of engagements. Direct

flights, shipping, postal cooperation and exchanges on

food safety, inter alia, have been initiated. This people-

centred approach continues to build bridges of trust,

tolerance and confidence. We wish this positive

interaction every success.

Earlier this year, my delegation was encouraged

to witness Taiwan’s admission as an observer to the

World Health Assembly. We hope with all sincerity that

similar overtures will be accorded to Taiwan by other

specialized entities within the United Nations system.

On the question of the Middle East, my

delegation associates itself with the statement of

Finland’s former President, Nobel Peace Prize recipient

Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, when he said “All conflicts can be

settled, and there are no excuses for allowing them to

become eternal”. To find a lasting and just peace in the

region, the determination of all Members is required.

For 62 years, the matter has been discussed within this

Assembly. Solomon Islands believes that, in the right

conditions, a politically negotiated two-State solution

can be reached. We support all international efforts in

finding a lasting and permanent solution.

In our effort to create a better world, dialogue and

cooperation between religions and cultures are needed.

Stereotypes created by a few must be overcome.

Extremists thrive on mistrust, fear and suspicion and

use them to their advantage. They must be isolated. My

delegation acknowledges the initiative of Saudi Arabia

to bring together leaders from the East and West in

promoting a global culture of peace. This initiative

presents a new beginning that we should all build

upon.

We must all work towards stabilizing the

international system, which means that those with

power must not victimize the weak by interfering with

the latter’s health and social needs, be it for

ideological, political or security reasons. Unilateral and

regional economic blockades and punitive action by

States and intergovernmental institutions must and

should be replaced with genuine cooperation and

sincere dialogue. In this regard, we call on the entire

international community to fully engage with Fiji. As

its Melanesian neighbour, Solomon Islands continues

to do so at all political levels.

In closing, in view of the many challenges we are

confronting today, the words of Abraham Lincoln in

1862 still holds true:

“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to

the stormy present.