Prime Minister Mark Brown took centre stage during the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit earlier this week in New York.

As one of the main events of the 78^th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) high-level week, the SDG Summit saw Brown co-moderating a Leader’s Dialogue entitled “Strengthening Integrated Policies and Public Institutions for Achieving the SDGs” alongside the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) said before opening the Leader’s Dialogue, PM Brown delivered a compelling national statement, emphasising the Cook Islands’ unwavering commitment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the concept of Turanga Memeitaki “wellbeing for all”.

He highlighted the extensive national consultations conducted by the Central Policy and Planning Division of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), MFAI, and the United Nations Multi-Country Office in Samoa, the outcomes of which will guide the Cook Islands in accelerating the achievement of our national sustainable development priorities and where necessary, partnering with international partners.

The Cook Islands and Denmark were also able to discuss Pacific Partnerships for Prosperity (PPfPs), an initiative conceptualised by Brown in his role as Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Chair.

MFAI Secretary Tepaeru Herrmann was able to meet in the margins of this week’s UNGA engagements with Denmark’s Climate Ambassador Tomas Anker Christensen where the two held discussions on possible Denmark support towards PPfP initiatives such as the Pacific Resilience Facility, the Pacific Climate Mobility Framework, and Mobilising Resources for the Weather-Ready Pacific Decadal Programme of Investments.

“I had a welcome discussion with Ambassador Christensen this week, which I look forward to continuing in the coming weeks as we prepare for the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM52) to convene in Rarotonga the first week of November,” said Secretary Herrmann.

“Through its earlier pledge of EUR 2.7 million to support initiatives to address the effects of climate change in the Pacific region, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Pacific Community (SPC), Denmark has demonstrated a determination to deliver climate finance through our Pacific mechanisms directly to our Pacific communities to support community-led projects for Pacific peoples.

“What we must collectively ensure is that most of this funding committed by Denmark and other partners reach our Pacific communities and doesn’t get absorbed in bureaucratic processes and administrative overheads, because only then can we deliver the transformative support our Pacific people desperately need, and partner governments like Denmark are committed to delivering.”

Ambassador Christensen has committed to attending PIFLM52 to be held in Rarotonga from November 6-10 where he will join Forum dialogue partners and Forum guests to better appreciate and partner on Pacific priorities as articulated in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent Implementation Plan, which will be considered and launched by Leaders when they meet.