UN Micronesia Resident Coordinator, Mr. Jaap van Hierden Presents his letter of credence to His Excellency Te Beretitenti Taneti Maamau, President of the Republic of Kiribati

H.E Te Beretitenti Taneti Maamau, President of the Republic of Kiribati

Honourable Ministers and Secretaries

Members of the Diplomatic Corps

Ladies & Gentlemen

Mauri ! Good morning !

It is an immense pleasure to meet you and offer my credentials as the United Nations Resident Coordinator, appointed on 1 October 2021, by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, to serve in the Republic of Kiribati. I am privileged that you have approved my designation and wish to express my profound gratitude.

Your Excellency,

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.

The Republic of Kiribati became a member of the United Nations in 1999. Since early 1984 when the first UN agency launched its operation in Kiribati, the country has enjoyed a close collaboration with the United Nations. Through the hard work and the commitment of UN agencies resident in Kiribati (these include FAO, IOM, UNDP, UN Women, UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO), as well as the programmes and activities developed in the country by several UN non-resident agencies such as ESCAP, ILO, IFAD, ILO, OCHA, OHCHR, UNAIDS, UNDRR, UNESCO, UNCDF, UNOPS and WFP, to date, strong collaboration and strategic partnership continue to govern the relationship between the United Nations and the Republic of Kiribati.

Your Excellency,

The UN family in the Republic of Kiribati is proud to have worked successfully with the Government, civil society, development partners and the people of Kiribati for nearly four decades to address national priorities ranging from education, healthcare, water & sanitation, poverty reduction, food security, human rights, environmental sustainability, climate change, drought, covid-19 response, and natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones. While programmes of support are informed and led by the Government, the UN system provides technical, programmatic, and advisory services, as well as financial support to national implementing partners. The UN consults regularly on its programmes and plans with the relevant government counterparts.

Last year, the UN and the government of Kiribati collaborated on many important projects which helped local communities. These included C19 and drought response, the establishment of the Kiribati Medical Assistance Team (KIRIMAT) including capacity building of line responders, waste management including cleaning over one ton of waste from South Tarawa’s beach, transforming education including online and radio education to over 9,000 children, women’s wellbeing, improving socio-economic opportunities for women and girls including grants and trainings to women-own businesses, supporting reforms through working on policies which include National Hepatitis Action Plan, Mental Health Act 2022 and Kiribati Cervical cancer policy and guideline and support related to climate security, resilience and maritime surveillance.

Past few years have been a difficult time for everyone in the government, UN, and communities on the ground. C19 severely impacted our lives and businesses. Together with Kiribati government, UN colleagues worked day in and day out in covid response and provided COVID vaccines, PCR and rapid antigen testing supplies, facemasks, oxygen concentrators, ultra-cold chain refrigerators, lifesaving vaccines for children, and trainings. In addition, the UN continues to provide support in drought response including the water and sanitation, hygiene, and dignity kits to communities including women and children.

We have outlined our approach for the next five years to further our operations in Kiribati and other Micronesian countries through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027, a framework aligned with national and regional development priorities. The UNSDCF guides our operation in four interrelated areas: Planet, People, Prosperity, and Peace.

We are also in consultations with relevant stakeholders to design and develop our country implementation plans, which will enable us to address the development priorities of this region. With the support of your government, we are holding consultations today and tomorrow with all stakeholders in Kiribati and aiming to finalize our country implementation plans by March 2023.

Finally, Your Excellency,

I wish to assure you and the people of Kiribati that my designation will strengthen the collaboration and partnership between the Government and the organizations of the United Nations system engaged in the operational activities for emergency response and development in the country.

Thank you.