Palau - UN Joint Steering Committee

UN Resident Coordinator Micronesia’s Speech: Palau - UN Joint Steering Committee

Honourable Jerrlyn Uduch Sengebau Senior, Vice President & Minister of Justice

Honourable Ministers

Government Officials

Civil Society Officials

Private Sector Officials

UN Colleagues

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Afternoon, Alii

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Palau’s third UN Joint Steering Committee. An important meeting during which we will endorse the Country Implementation Plan. A plan that solidifies our commitment to working together in actioning the national development priorities  for Palau. I am most honoured to be co-chairing Palau’s third high-level UN Joint Steering Committee meeting with the Honourable Jerrlyn Uduch Sengebau Senior.

With all ministries and UN entities working in Palau being represented in this JSC, today’s meeting provides a space for open dialogue on UN’s support to Palau. Over the next two years, we should be able to use this as a constructive space to strengthen our collaboration across all areas. And do so by optimizing our partnerships and innovations across sectors in order to deliver development results and mobilise needed resources for the people of Palau

This is the third Joint Steering Committee meeting, with the second meeting having served to approve the outline and theory of change for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-27.  It is thus fitting that the objective of today’s meeting is to endorse and sign the first Country Implementation Plan for Palau. A plan that provides a comprehensive view of UN’s programme of work in Palau.

In October of last year, Hon. Gustav Aitaro and the Government of Palau endorsed the fourth UN strategic plan for the Pacific, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027. This UN Cooperation Framework outlines UN’s intentions of supporting the 14 countries and territories in the Pacific in four key areas identified in the global 2030 Agenda. These are Planet, People, Prosperity and Peace. The Country Implementation Plan outlines the operationalisation of this overarching UN strategyat the country level, and thus creates a de facto scaffolding which frames the Palau-UN collaboration going forward.

Since the establishment of the UN Multi-Country Resident Coordinator’s Office in October 2021, the UN has increased its programming in Palau and plans to continue to grow and strengthen this partnership. I am pleased to see the progress is now being made on two joint UN programmes. One on “Digitalisation in Micronesia” led by ITU and one on “ Facilitating inclusive dialogue and decision-making to strengthen social cohesion post Covid-19” led by OHCHR.

The CIP should be viewed as an organic plan, which will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis, or as required. It is a summary of UN’s programme of work in Palau. It provides us with a foundation for intensifying and expanding our collaboration on integrated, cross-sector development initiatives aimed at leap-frogging Palau forward towards attaining the SDGs and implementing the 2030 Agenda.

This will also be achieved through the Voluntary National Review, which is being completed by Palau, with the support of the UN, for 2024. The UN is pleased to support this report that will identify Palau’s core targets and priority areas to advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. We are also pleased to note that two of the basics tenants of the 2030 Agenda, “Leaving No One Behind (LNOB)” and the necessity of adopting a “Whole-of-Society Approach”, are so clearly actioned in Palau. They are actioned through its inclusion of civil society organizations in the development process and its exemplary efforts to include person with disabilities.

The timing of this meeting and the endorsement of the CIP is most timely, as we explore how the UN can further support Palau to leverage transformational international initiatives such as the Food System Stocktaking Moment coming up in July, and the 2023 SDG Summit in September. Initiatives that will strengthen partnerships for tangible, sustainable development gains for all people in Palau.

I am pleased to note that Palau is carrying forward its exemplary, globally acclaimed work on Food Systems, started in 2021. I congratulate Palau on having submitted its voluntary Food System Stocktake Report and for having confirmed its participation in the Food Systems Stocktaking Moment. The UN system stands ready to support Palau’s preparations for and participation in the event in Rome in July and I look forward to exploring how we can exploit the newest technologies and innovation to address this critical agenda.

This year marks the mid-point of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In September this year, the second SDG Summit will be held in New York to review the progress made globally towards attaining the SDGS. In preparation for the Summit, a draft version of the special edition of the report of the Secretary-General entitled “Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals: Towards a Rescue Plan for People and Planet” has been shared. This focus on the “Planet-People nexus” provides Palau, and the Pacific, with an important opportunity to highlight the disproportionately catastrophic impact of the triple planetary crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution) for the people of Palau. People who are at risk of losing their lands and cultural treasures. To support this, the UN is working with government partners to access the Green Climate Fund to implement an important early warning systems project. The unique geography of Palau with its landscape of isolated outer islands and atolls, embodies what is arguably the most fundamental of 2030 Agenda tenets. The importance to “Leave No One Behind”. The very concept of a rescue plan, reminding the world that global development and peace can only be obtained through the promotion of dignity and well-being of all, provides Palau with a platform to build strong coalitions and partnerships to achieve its national development ambitions.

The UN recognizes the challenges being faced by Palau in making progress towards achieving the SDGs. Challenges that have increased since Palau’s graduation to a “high-income” status. A status that has impacted development support. The UN system stands ready to accompany Palau on this journey towards reimagining its sustainable future.

With these lofty goals in mind, let us turn to today’s agenda of establishing the foundations for our joint way forward.

Mesulang !

Thank you !