Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, James Marape, used his address at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York Friday to deliver a pointed critique of the international community’s failure to address major global threats.
In his speech, Marape emphasised the pressing need for concerted global action on climate change, religious intolerance, and geopolitical tensions, while calling for reform within the UN system itself.
Marape spoke passionately about the dangers of religious intolerance, pointing to the historical bloodshed that has occurred due to conflicts over faith.
“Since the dawn of humanity, many wars have been fought and many lives lost as a result of religious intolerance,” he said.
He urged the UN to take a more robust stance on protecting freedom of religion, stating, “The United Nations must condemn laws that encroach upon individuals’ choice of religion and worship. This is a God-given right.”
He credited Christian missionaries, who arrived in Papua New Guinea as early as 1845, with playing a critical role in uniting the country’s diverse cultures and tribes under a common set of values.
“Christianity has been the front runner of unity, bearing messages of peace and sustainable coexistence,” he said. However, he stressed that Papua New Guinea’s constitution protects freedom of religion, ensuring that all citizens can practice their faith without interference.
Marape then turned to the urgent issue of climate change, framing it as an existential threat not only to Papua New Guinea but to the entire Pacific region.
As an ocean nation, PNG is on the frontlines of climate change, facing rising sea levels and changing weather patterns that threaten its way of life.
“Ocean nations like mine continue to live with climate change-induced sea-level rise and weather pattern changes which have now become an existential threat,” Marape said.
He aligned Papua New Guinea with its Pacific neighbours in calling for the inclusion of sea-level rise as a standalone agenda item in the UN General Assembly, a proposal led by Vanuatu.
The Pacific Island Leaders Forum, which met in Tonga in August 2024, officially recognised climate change as an existential threat, and Marape’s address amplified that message.
However, Marape expressed frustration with the difficulty PNG faces in accessing international climate finance. He warned that without swift action, PNG could be forced to exploit its natural resources—forests and marine ecosystems—to meet its development needs.
“We call on the United Nations to look into this matter with urgency or we will utilise our rights to liquidate our forest and marine resources to achieve our development aspirations, including alleviating poverty,” he warned.
Marape emphasised that Papua New Guinea, which hosts 7 percent of the world’s biodiversity, plays a critical role in preserving the Earth’s environment. “The forest of PNG is a global asset, and it must be preserved at a price transferable to improve the lives of my forest people,” he said, calling for wealthier nations to offset their carbon footprints by investing in the preservation of PNG’s forests.
He also highlighted the partnership between PNG and France, commending President Emmanuel Macron for mobilising European Union funding for a forest conservation project in PNG. “This is the kind of partnership that should be encouraged,” Marape said.
Marape’s third point addressed the growing geopolitical tensions and sovereignty contests that are causing fragmentation and protectionism worldwide.
He warned that increasing geopolitical conflicts and territorial disputes are destabilising global economies and hurting local populations.
“We need to examine peaceful strategies and solutions, and invest in peace-building initiatives for de-escalation, mutual understanding, and co-operation to build trust and foster peaceful relationships,” he said.
The Prime Minister praised the UN’s role in resolving conflicts, particularly citing its involvement in the Bougainville Peace Agreement, which ended years of conflict in PNG’s Bougainville region.
“To this day, I am happy to report that no bullets have since been fired on Bougainville,” Marape said, crediting the UN for its supervision of the peace process.
However, Marape did not shy away from critiquing the UN’s structure, calling for significant reforms, including the removal of veto power in the Security Council.
“All conflicts can be resolved if we allow the United Nations one rule book to take prominence over our own parochial interests,” he said, arguing that the veto power held by a handful of countries undermines the UN’s ability to function as an equitable institution.
“I call on the UN and its systems to begin the process of Security Council reform, including the removal of veto power so all nations can sit equally at the table,” Marape stated.
Marape also urged the international community to adopt a broader perspective on the planet’s future, referencing the “Overview Effect” experienced by astronauts who view Earth from space and come to see the world and humanity as interconnected and fragile.
He called on world leaders to adopt a similar mindset, seeing beyond national borders and taking collective responsibility for preserving the planet and securing a peaceful future for all.
“We have but one Earth,” Marape said. “Let us rise above religious bigotry, fight poverty together, and coexist in peace under the charter we ourselves have written into this magnificent institution called the United Nations,” he said.
