UN General Assembly

Samoa prime minister and Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) chair Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa said a strong plan of action for survival is needed right now.

She said they need much greater mitigation ambition from the international community.

Fiamē also said the loss and damage fund, discussed at COP27, must be operationalised and fit for purpose for SIDS "as communities most vulnerable to climate change".

The resolution was adopted by consensus.

“Today we have witnessed a win for climate justice of epic proportions,” said Ishmael Kalsakau, Prime Minister of Vanuatu, in a video statement responding to the adoption of the resolution.

“Vanuatu sees today’s historic resolution as the beginning of a new era in multilateral climate cooperation, one that is more fully focused on upholding the rule of international law and an era that places human rights and intergenerational equity at the forefront of climate decision-making.”

According to the resolution, Vanuatu graduates out of Least Developed Country (LDC) category to developing category with deferment of all International Support Measures for five years.

The Seventy-fifth session of the United Nation General Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to the process of Vanuatu’s graduation from least developed country status and to encourage smooth transition measures for graduating countries beyond graduation and towards achieving sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Mr Loughman made the call in a pre-recorded speech at the 75^th UN General Assembly in New York.

He said COVID-19 has resulted in mounting debts in countries that can least afford to service them.

“It is essential that the multi-lateral financial institutions provide debt forgiveness and relief. This should be accompanied with tailored concessional finance packages and grants.”

During his speech in New York, Charlot Salwai lamented how some Pacific territories are yet to break the shackles of colonialism.

Mr Salwai cited France's territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia, as well as Indonesian-ruled West Papua.

He called on the administering powers to respect UN processes and ensure people in these territories can have their self-determination views heard.

Mr Salwai called for use of the UN system to find solutions to violations of West Papuans' human rights.

An exodus to cities and a high rate of urbanization was a challenge as well.

In his address at the UN General Assembly in New York today, Mr Salwai spoke of a clear link between forced migration and the responsibility to protect.  As a small island developing State facing rising sea levels, Vanuatu appealed to the international community to consider a legal framework to address the issue of climate change refugees.

That was announced by President Francois Hollande at the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday, in a bid to leverage more action.

The host nation of this December’s critical Paris climate summit will also increase the amount available as grants, and not as loans, he said.

“We need developed countries to take on financial commitments… we have to make sure that emerging economies, developing countries can be sure they will be helped.”

Hollande noted that the developed world had yet to deliver on its promise to raise US$100 billion of climate finance in 2020.