SAMOAN Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has urged governments of all Small Island Developing States(SIDS) to stop the “Blame and Shame” game and instead partner to address the growing challenges facing SIDS.
Mr Malielegaoi said the problems facing SIDS will sooner than later become a “global problem”.
He said everyone needs to work together and partner to effectively address the growing challenges.
“Sustainable development through durable and genuine partnerships provides the opportunity to support SIDS cause and set specific commitments and the means to implement them.
“Blaming and shaming is not a characteristic of a genuine partnership,” the Samoan PM said.
He stressed that SIDS must stand bold to announce their commitments of what they can do and not what others can do in support of next year’s Climate Change treaty.
He pointed out that low lying developing states are the least contributors to climate change but suffered the most.
“We want all our partners to step forward and commit to address once and for all the root causes of climate change,” Mr Malielegaoi said.
He added SIDS had no choice but to mitigate and adopt to the changing environment confronting them today.
Mr Malielegaoi continues to stress that everyone has to act now and not tomorrow since it is the future of SIDS people that is at stake.
Secretary General of the United Nation Ban Ki-Moon described SIDS as a magnifying glass; their lenses revealed the vulnerabilities everyone faced.
He said by addressing issues of concern to SIDS,the world was developing the necessary tools to promote sustainable development worldwide.
Mr Moon stressed that effective waste management, renewable energy, ocean stewardship and disaster resilience,improved connectivity and climate smart agriculture were at the heart of sustainable development.
On the action plans set forth in Barbados and Mauritius, Mr Moon said the world now had the Samoan Pathway to guide it.
The UN Secretary General highlighted that the first priority must be to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
He said there must be a post-2015 development agenda and sustainable development goals that addressed the vulnerabilities and needs of SIDS and a meaningful legal global climate change agreement is needed by the end of 2014.
“The plight of millions of people in SIDS demands an international response. By failing to act we condemn the most vulnerable to unacceptable disruption to their lives as a result of the actions of those a world away,” Mr Moon said.
By DANIEL NAMOSUAIA
in Apia, Samoa
