Statement by H.E. Ambassador ISHIKANE Kimihiro, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Ambassadorial-level meeting on the impact of COVID-19 on peacebuilding and sustaining peace in the Pacific islands
2020/7/28
Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
Pacific islands are the linchpin of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific and Japan has maintained high-level dialogues on a wide range of issues under the framework of Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM), held every three years since 1997.
I am therefore most delighted to have this opportunity to exchange views on how we can support the efforts of the Pacific island nations on peacebuilding and sustaining peace amid the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19.
COVID-19 is causing a serious human security crisis worldwide by posing a multi-faced threat, in particular, to the most vulnerable. Health being the most fundamental element of human security, Japan contributed 5.3 million USD to UNDP, UNICEF and IFRC to support their activities to tackle COVID-19 in the Pacific islands. Japan also extended bilateral cooperation of 36 million USD in total, for the provision of medical equipment to the region.
While effective measures taken by each Pacific island nation have so far limited the infections to only sporadic cases, it is crucial to remain vigilant, and we must pay close attention to the socioeconomic impact caused by COVID-19 on Pacific islands, which could exacerbate the inherent vulnerabilities of the small island developing states (SIDS). We need to support their efforts to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 and make sure the hard-won stability in some countries will not be jeopardized.
One of the most pressing contemporary security challenges that weighs heavily on the “inherent vulnerabilities” of the SIDS is, of course, climate change. It poses an existential threat to the future of the islands. Cyclone Harold that hit the Pacific islands in April is just another manifestation of the need to address climate change with a sense of urgency.
Japan has pledged to mobilize approximately 1.3 trillion yen (around USD 11.8 billion) of public and private climate finance to developing countries in 2020. Japan is also a major donor to the Green Climate Fund.
At the Eighth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM8) held in Fukushima, Japan in 2018, the Leaders reaffirmed the importance of strengthening efforts to integrate climate change and disaster risk reduction considerations into resilient development. To put it into practice, Japan supported the construction of the Pacific Climate Change Center in Samoa, which opened last year.
Next year, Japan will host the Ninth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM9) in Shima, Mie Prefecture. We look forward to having in-depth discussion with the Leaders of Pacific Islands on various issues the region faces, including the impact of COVID-19, building and sustaining peace and addressing climate change.
Japan stands ready to cooperate further with the Pacific island nations in collaboration with the UN system and other partners in the Pacific region.
Thank you.
Dear colleagues,
Pacific islands are the linchpin of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific and Japan has maintained high-level dialogues on a wide range of issues under the framework of Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM), held every three years since 1997.
I am therefore most delighted to have this opportunity to exchange views on how we can support the efforts of the Pacific island nations on peacebuilding and sustaining peace amid the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19.
COVID-19 is causing a serious human security crisis worldwide by posing a multi-faced threat, in particular, to the most vulnerable. Health being the most fundamental element of human security, Japan contributed 5.3 million USD to UNDP, UNICEF and IFRC to support their activities to tackle COVID-19 in the Pacific islands. Japan also extended bilateral cooperation of 36 million USD in total, for the provision of medical equipment to the region.
While effective measures taken by each Pacific island nation have so far limited the infections to only sporadic cases, it is crucial to remain vigilant, and we must pay close attention to the socioeconomic impact caused by COVID-19 on Pacific islands, which could exacerbate the inherent vulnerabilities of the small island developing states (SIDS). We need to support their efforts to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 and make sure the hard-won stability in some countries will not be jeopardized.
One of the most pressing contemporary security challenges that weighs heavily on the “inherent vulnerabilities” of the SIDS is, of course, climate change. It poses an existential threat to the future of the islands. Cyclone Harold that hit the Pacific islands in April is just another manifestation of the need to address climate change with a sense of urgency.
Japan has pledged to mobilize approximately 1.3 trillion yen (around USD 11.8 billion) of public and private climate finance to developing countries in 2020. Japan is also a major donor to the Green Climate Fund.
At the Eighth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM8) held in Fukushima, Japan in 2018, the Leaders reaffirmed the importance of strengthening efforts to integrate climate change and disaster risk reduction considerations into resilient development. To put it into practice, Japan supported the construction of the Pacific Climate Change Center in Samoa, which opened last year.
Next year, Japan will host the Ninth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM9) in Shima, Mie Prefecture. We look forward to having in-depth discussion with the Leaders of Pacific Islands on various issues the region faces, including the impact of COVID-19, building and sustaining peace and addressing climate change.
Japan stands ready to cooperate further with the Pacific island nations in collaboration with the UN system and other partners in the Pacific region.
Thank you.