Statement by Jaap van Hierden, United Nations Resident Coordinator on New Year's Reception

H.E. David Panuelo, President of FSM and First Lady

T.H. Aren Palik, Vice President of FSM and Second Lady

T.H Kandhi Elieisar, Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Honourable Officials of Federal and State Governments

H.E. Jo Cowley, Ambassador of Australia and Dean of the Ambassadors

Members of the Diplomatic Corps

Officials of the UN and International Organisations

Officials of Civil Society

Officials of the Private Sector..

Ladies & Gentlemen.

Kaselehlie! Good evening!

It gives me and my spouse, Mayadevi, immense pleasure to host this reception to begin the new year.

A moment when we recognize highlights during 2022 and get ready for 2023.

For the UN, last year was a milestone in establishing the new UN Multi Country Office Micronesia with a UN Resident Coordinator at its helm. An Office that is the product of many years of advocacy by Micronesian leaders for the UN family to be more present in their region and to actively support the implementation of the SDGs to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of Micronesians. A UN family that includes ESCAP, FAO, IFAD, IOM, ILO, ITU, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UNOPS, UNWOMEN, WFP and WHO among others. A UN family that can provide specialised advice and technical assistance on enhancing Trade, improving Telecommunication, diversifying Agriculture, enhancing Urban Development, using Data for Planning, supporting Education, Health and Nutrition, preserving Cultural Heritage, addressing Migration, strengthening Social Protection and Governance, protecting Biodiversity and Nature, enabling Gender Equality, ensuring Human Rights for All, securing Maritime Boundaries, tackling Climate Change related challenges and more.

Overseeing and supporting UN’s engagements in the North Pacific, the UN MCO Micronesia covers the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Nauru, and the Republic of Kiribati. Following its formal establishment on 1 October 2021 with my appointment by the UN Secretary General on 1 October 2021, last year was the first full year of our Representational presence in Micronesia.

I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the leadership and officials of the FSM Federal Government and of the Pohnpei State Government in hosting us and in enabling our start-up. The temporary One UN Space that has been provided will be helpful in bringing in more UN organisations from the South to the North Pacific until a One UN Micronesia House has been designed and constructed. While we have 5 UN organisations at our regional UN hub in Pohnpei, FSM today, we expect that this number will increase to 19 or more in the next few years.

During 2022, we saw an end to the C19 restrictions. A year during which colleagues from UNICEF and WHO worked closely with government and other key partners in the five Micronesian countries to help contain the spread of C19. An awful pandemic that brought heartbreak, disrupted our daily lives and put us on the back foot in reaching our 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

With restrictions over, we are now able to move more freely and put our backs into achieving the ambitious 2030 agenda for each of the five Micronesian countries.

The 2023 to 2027 UN Pacific Sustainable Development Cooperation

Framework should help us in this regard. This Framework is aligned to national and regional development priorities and provides the basis for the United Nations system’s continued support in four interlinked areas: Planet, People, Prosperity and Peace. We are now translating these broad marching orders into detailed Country Implementation Plans that are aligned with the development priorities within each of the five Micronesian countries. In this regard, I am pleased to share that FSM concluded its initial technical consultations last month.

With the Country Implementation Plans in place, we hope to kickstart new programmes and expand existing initiatives around the four pillars of our new UN Pacific Cooperation Framework, effectively mainstreaming human rights,

gender equality and women empowerment in our work, to ensure:

• that no one is left behind;
• that people are equal and free to exercise their fundamental rights;
• that gender equality and sustainable peace are promoted;
• that nations and their communities are enabled to become resilient to existential threats allowing them to live in harmony within the blue
• continent.

Together with the people and leadership of the Micronesian countries, we will continue to work towards a better future for all Micronesians. A future that defeats climate change, enables healthy communities and ensures that Micronesian children are well educated with well-paying jobs available locally. A future that protects human rights and free speech. A future that preserves our nature and precious biodiversity

I hope that 2023 will be a step in the right direction. A year during which we will capitalize on the momentum gained with the Food Systems Summit and the Transforming Education Summit. A year when we should have the longer term ambition to reach the farthest child on the most remote island with quality education and explore non-traditional farming methods for atoll nations and islands. A year when we need to step up on addressing the impact of climate change, at COP28 and closer to home in building resilience against rising sea levels, worsening king tides and adverse weather events. And more.

In concluding my remarks, I wish to emphasize that our work is about

supporting the people of all five countries of Micronesia in achieving a more sustainable and prosperous future, and to leave no one behind. Work that we cannot do without the generous support of our development partners. In doing so, the United Nations supports the efforts of governments of the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Nauru, and the Republic of Kiribati in ensuring that the fruits of development will benefit all its citizens.

This New Year’s reception is one such opportunity where we can exchange ideas and collaborate for advancing our joint efforts in 2023.

My family and I wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous 2023.

Thank you.