The first Biodiversity-Friendly Local Products Showcase

Ungil el tutau (ooh-kneel twotau). Good morning.

Your Excellency, Steven Victor, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Environment;

Government Officials;

President of the Palau Chamber of Commerce and Private Sector Partners;

Development Partners;

Producers of Local Foods, Products and the Arts.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Greetings from the UN Micronesia Multi Country Office. Greetings from Pohnpei.

On behalf of the UN, it is my pleasure to share some remarks celebrating today’s occasion - the first Biodiversity-Friendly Local Products Showcase. 

First and foremost, I wish to congratulate all national partners for this wonderful event. A collaboration between government and the private sector that shows positive momentum and multi-stakeholders’ commitment towards improving Palau’s food systems to benefit people and the planet. 

As you may remember or appreciate, the national food systems dialogues highlighted the need for intensification of efforts to link health to nutrition to food production. More specifically:

• to promote locally available healthy and nutritious food;
• to reverse dietary preferences back to traditional, locally produced foods rich in essential micronutrients;
• to ensure sustainable production and consumption; and,
• to support equitable livelihoods with decent work and entrepreneurship opportunities. 

Indeed, at the UN Food Systems Summit in September of this year, His Excellency, Surangel Whipps Jr. committed to strengthening Palau’s food systems by pursuing practical solutions and drawing on tradition and innovation.

It is most encouraging to see that Palau has taken follow-up steps in pursuing local systems-solutions that are viable. Solutions include initiatives such as “respect producers” and “buy local, by local” campaigns. Solutions that transform food systems to be more inclusive and healthier. Solutions that safeguard the planet.    

Please rest assured of UN’s unwavering commitment to help transform to sustainable food systems and achieve the SDGs. We will do so by supporting the government and by working closely with the private sector and development partners.

I congratulate you once again and look forward to our continued partnership.

Please do enjoy the showcase of amazing local food, products and the arts. 

Mesulang (Thank You)