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7th Conference of the Pacific Community
Statement by Cook Islands Prime Minister the Hon. Henry Puna
Climate Change and Food Security – challenges and solutions in the Pacific Island countries and territories Salutations
In 2010, the Pacific Small Island Developing States five-year review of the Mauritius Strategy for Further Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for Sustainable Development of SIDS (MSI+5) found that since the Rio Meeting in 1992 our vulnerability has increased whilst our capacity to cope has not. This has been due in no small part to the additional pressures of climate change, climate variability and sea-level rise which have been compounded by the international fuel, food and financial crises. These new pressures have exacerbated those that were identified in 1992.
We share much in common. However, we each have our own particular challenges and opportunities, many of which stem from our largest shared resource, the Pacific Ocean. We have, are, and will continue forever to exist in a Blue World, the vast Pacific Ocean, which comprises over 95% of our sovereign territory and over which we have stewardship in the interest of the Global Commons.
Socially, the context of widespread small communities on generally small if not tiny islands provided, and still largely does provide, the basis for our traditional and cultural social fabric. The ocean feeds us (and a large part of the global community), it endangers us (cyclones, storm surges, and tsunamis), and underpins the many challenges we face (isolation from markets, high cost of imports and exports, cost of internal transport) and opportunities they have for economic development (tourism, fisheries, seabed minerals). |
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The 26th Session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was held at its Headquarters in London from 23 November to 2 December 2009 and was attended by some 1,200 delegates from IMO Member States, as well as international and non-governmental organizations. The Assembly is IMO’s governing body. It currently has 169 Member States and three Associate Members. The Assembly normally meets once every two years in regular session. It is responsible for approving the work programme, voting the budget and determining the financial arrangements of the Organization. It also elects the Council. Council The Assembly also elected the new IMO Council for 2010-2011. The Cook Islands were unsuccessful in the elections for a seat on the Council falling just short of the requisite numbers. Nevertheless, it did extremely well for one of the newest member of the  Organization. Mr. Jeffrey G. Lantz (United States) was elected as its Chairman and re-elected Mr. Dumisani Ntuli (South Africa) as its Vice-Chairman. Cook Islands statement to the 26th Session of the IMO Assembly .
H.E. Captain Ian Finley , Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organisation - United Nations . |
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HONOURABLE JIM MARURAI, PRIME MINISTER OF THE COOK ISLANDS
STATEMENT TO THE FIFTEENTH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
16 December 2009, Copenhagen Madame President, thank you for this opportunity to address this very important conference. Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates – I extend to you greetings in my language: Kia Orana. Literally, these words of greeting mean: “may you live on”. Kia orana expresses the hope that not only one as an individual lives on but that one’s lineage also lives on into the future. So once again, let me greet the world by saying : “Kia Orana, may we ALL live on”.   
Cook Islands Delegation to COP15
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