Palau 2nd Voluntary National Review Partner Inception Workshop

Your Excellency, President Surangel Whipps, Jr.

Honorable Vice President Sengebau-Senior,

Honorable ministers,

Traditional leaders,  

Representative of state governments,

Private Sector partners

Omekesang and civil society partners

Ungil el Tutau!

I am honoured to address Palau’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Steering Committee at the opening of Palau’s 2nd Voluntary National Review Partner Inception Workshop. 

I want to first congratulate the Government of Palau and this steering committee for engaging important actors, specifically the private sector and civil society organizations (representing youth, women, traditional community groups, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI and others) in Palau’s 2nd voluntary national review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. 

This engagement provides us yet, another opportunity to reflect on our shared aspirations, the progress we have made, and the road ahead. It is a moment of unity, resilience, and innovation, where we celebrate our accomplishments while candidly addressing the challenges we face.

Your Excellency President Whipps, Palau’s “all hands-on-deck” approach is quite commendable and reaffirms your government’s commitments to SDGs transformation, including building a diverse and resilient digitised economy. 

 It is also heartening to see the increased engagements with civil society, in the overall SDGs planning and monitoring which is reflective of government’s continued commitment to collective ownership and accountability on the 2030 agenda.

As partners, we recognize the role of civil society is vital to realize the SDGs – highlighting priority areas to ensure no one is left behind, driving action as partners within communities, and fostering innovative solutions. 

Indeed, “Leaving no one behind” is the central principle of the SDGs and Palau is demonstrating that LNOB is embodied in the national SDGS implementation effort. 

The UN is privileged to support you in establishing this framework for monitoring and evaluating SDGS implementation and mainstreaming the SDGs into national sustainable development system (planning, budgetary, financing and investment processes). 

Noteworthy, this 2nd VNR process is another step on your sustainable development journey, and we stand by to assist through appropriate policy and technical expertise that can further operationalize the 17 SDGs in Palau.   

I end my remarks by reaffirming the commitment of the UN Country team in Micronesia to working together with Palau, bringing the collective knowledge and expertise of the UN development system to achieve national priorities and targets on SDGs.

Ko mesulang.