UN RC Remarks at the Opening of Pacific Resilience Week in Fiji

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to the Pacific Resilience Week on behalf of the United Nations system. 

I would like to start by expressing my gratitude to the Government of Fiji for hosting this pivotal event. 

Fiji has long been a leader and a champion of climate action and disaster resilience, and today, once again, it demonstrates climate and resilience leadership for the Pacific. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat for their steadfast partnership, as well as our CROP partners, SPC, and SPREP, for their collaborative efforts in organizing this significant event. 

As we gather here, we are reminded of the existential threats facing the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Pacific. The climate emergency is no longer a distant threat but a reality that we confront every day. 

Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and geological hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis threaten not only the infrastructure and economies of these islands but also the very fabric of their communities. The geographic isolation, small populations, and limited economic diversification further exacerbate their vulnerability, making resilience a matter of urgent priority, a matter of survival. 

This event will focus on three important themes: 

1. Strengthening resilience to climate and disaster risks through unified, coordinated action. 
2. Accelerating progress on the Pacific’s resilience agenda, including comprehensive risk management. 
3. Addressing key challenges such as climate mobility, loss & damage, and ensuring that the Pacific leads the way in global climate action.

The activities we will undertake this week are built around a single, unifying theme: resilience. 

As defined by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), resilience is “the capacity of interconnected social, economic, and ecological systems to cope with a hazardous event, trend, or disturbance,”, ensuring that these systems continue to function. 

The Pacific region has long understood the importance of resilience, recognizing that its future depends on cohesive and coordinated action to address the risks posed by both climatic and non-climatic hazards. 

This week’s gathering comes at a critical juncture. Across the Pacific, there are numerous initiatives aimed at building resilience through policy frameworks, planning, and finance mechanisms. 

Globally, the upcoming climate change negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan during COP29, and efforts to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund are further shaping the landscape for climate action. These global efforts are essential for the Pacific region as we look to advance our own resilience agenda. 

The Pacific has been at the forefront of advocating for a comprehensive risk management (CRM) approach, which integrates climate change and disaster risk management. The Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific (FRDP) 2017-2030 and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent embody this vision, bringing together climate change and disaster resilience under a single strategic umbrella. 

This week, our goal is to assess the progress we have made and accelerate our efforts to build resilience. 

We must ask ourselves: What actions have been effective? What challenges remain? What capacities are needed to ensure that our progress is sustained? 

By answering these questions, we can better inform the actions needed to build a more resilient Pacific, equipped with the tools and resources to overcome the unique challenges we face. 

This week’s program will also focus on the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility, a crucial initiative endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders. 

This framework is designed to ensure that our communities are not only prepared for the impacts of climate change but are also proactive in addressing the mobility challenges that arise from it. Our discussions will help refine the implementation plan, ensuring that it aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals and regional commitments. 

The latter part of the week will center on the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage, which was established to catalyze technical assistance for developing countries. The Pacific is fortunate to be the first region to hold a workshop introducing the operational guidelines of this network, enabling us to better access the technical assistance needed to address loss and damage funding. Similar workshops will soon follow in other regions, but once again, the Pacific is leading the way. 

The United Nations system is fully committed to supporting the Pacific in these endeavors. Our presence here is a testament to our ongoing commitment to building resilience in the region. 

In closing, I encourage all participants to recognize the common thread that connects the different parts of this week’s programme. 

Whether we are discussing climate mobility, comprehensive risk management, or loss and damage, the underlying goal remains the same: to strengthen the resilience of the Pacific. 

Together, through collaboration and coordination, we can pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable future for the region.

Vinaka Vakalevu, Dhanjavaad, Thank You.