Prime Minister Mark Brown has continued on his mission to advocate for the Pacific Islands Forum’s key priorities articulated in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

Brown, who is attending the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) high level week at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, says the advocacy is related to climate action.

“We will be advocating for specific Pacific regional initiatives within our PPfP’s (Pacific Partnerships for Prosperity) including capitalising our Pacific Resilience Facility, mobilising climate finance towards the Weather-Ready Pacific Decadal Programme of Investment, the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility,” Brown said.

The Prime Minister said he would continue to advocate for climate action funding for innovative Pacific-tailored solutions for the region at the meeting.

He said these were regional initiatives developed by the Pacific for the Pacific, some existing, some new, that have transformative potential that will benefit our Pacific communities.

“The success of these regional collective actions, and our success, critically hinges on securing essential political and financial commitment from international partners participating in UNGA and at the next UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, COP28, to convene in Dubai in November.”

In a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) statement, Brown also said: “It’s a long way to travel to New York, costs are not insignificant, but it is imperative we are here to ensure our Cook Islands voice continues to project in concert with all our Pacific Islands Forum voices so we continue to press on those most responsible for climate change to deliver the necessary quantum and ease of access to climate finance that we in the Pacific have advocated for over a decade.”

“Off the back of decisions taken during our annual meetings of the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting last month, and our Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting last week, our 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and Implementation Plan, and our Pacific Partnerships for Prosperity (PPfP) - our Pacific is well placed to offer innovative, tailored solutions for the intertwined climate and development challenges we’re confronted with in the Pacific, and attract partnerships and investment by UNGA members beyond the Pacific and multilateral development entities attending this week’s high-level meetings.”

Amongst a full schedule of engagements this week, Prime Minister Brown will deliver remarks during three of the five key Leaders’ Summit during this high-level week.

Brown will be delivering remarks at the SDG Summit that will provide high-level political guidance on transformative and accelerated climate actions and will deliver a negotiated political declaration.

He will also speak at the Climate Ambition Summit that is intended to secure elevated levels of credible, serious, and new climate action by governments, businesses, civil society, financial institutions, and organisations that will respond to the urgency of the climate crisis.

Brown, also advocating in his role as chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, said: “I look forward to continuing to work closely with all Forum Leaders and their delegations throughout this week to jointly advocate for our key priorities, as articulated in our 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.”’

• LL/MFAI