Kiribati has called for stronger international action on climate change, ocean protection and the Pacific’s nuclear legacy, saying even the smallest countries have a role to play in global peace and security.
President and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Taneti Maamau told the United Nations General Assembly that climate change was placing growing pressure on Kiribati communities through sea-level rise, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion and extreme weather.
“National action must be matched by international action,” Maamau told the United Nations General Assembly.
He called for “greater ambition, stronger support for adaptation and climate finance that is adequate, predictable and accessible, particularly for Small Island Developing States”.
Maamau also described Kiribati as an ocean nation whose economy, food security, culture and way of life depend on healthy and sustainable marine resources.
“Kiribati is an ocean nation. We are a Big Ocean Sustainable State,” he said.
He welcomed the entry into force of the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction as an important step towards stronger and more equitable governance of the high seas.
Maamau reaffirmed Kiribati’s support for the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States and the Pact for the Future, saying international partnerships remained critical as multilateralism faced growing challenges.
“At a time when multilateralism faces growing challenges, partnership remains one of our most powerful affirmations of what we can achieve, collectively,” he said.
On peace and security, Maamau said Kiribati remained concerned about conflicts and their consequences despite its geographic distance from major conflict zones.
“Distance does not make us indifferent to the suffering caused by war and conflict elsewhere,” he said.
He called for disputes to be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, saying respect for international law was fundamental to the security and sovereignty of island nations.
Maamau also highlighted the Pacific’s continuing human and environmental legacy of nuclear testing.
He reaffirmed Kiribati’s commitment to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and support for establishing an international trust fund for victims of nuclear weapons.
“Even the smallest country can contribute to global peace,” Maamau said.
