by Alfred Acenas (EBC Hawaii-Pacific)
HONOLULU (Eagle News) – At the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting on Friday, August 6, US President Joseph R. Biden commended his foreign counterparts and pledged America’s support to the said region in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and in raising global ambition to tackle climate change.
“This pandemic has taken a heavy toll and the lives lost can never ever be replaced,” said President Biden through videoconferencing. “The economic impacts are going to require all of us to work together to drive an inclusive and sustained recovery.”
Biden continued, “The Pacific Island nations know better than anyone that averting the worst effects of climate change is going to save lives. The United States is committed to dramatically reducing our emissions by 2030 and building resilience in vulnerable communities globally.”
In response, Fiji’s Prime Minister (PM) Josaia Bainimarama thanked Biden for making history as the first US president to join the forum and “for bringing America forcefully back to the right side of climate history.”
“Fiji and the USA’s net-zero commitments by 2050 must become the entire world’s; zero excuses,” PM Bainimarama stressed. “Together as a united Pacific, we look to securing a historic outcome in Glasgow at COP26 which brings the 1.5-degree Celsius target within reach.”
Fiji’s Prime Minister also welcomed President Biden’s pledge of half a billion doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX Facility.
“This global pandemic only ends one way: by vaccinating as many people as possible around the world as quickly as can be done,” the prime minister stated. “Much of the Global South is well behind developing nations in terms of protecting their populations; and the United States has a vital role to play in ensuring all people have the opportunity to be protected against the virus through vaccines.”
The 51st Forum meetings will continue in the coming months with the Forum Chair leading virtual dialogues with civil society, the private sector, forum dialogue partners and other regional organizations.
Founded in 1971, the Pacific Islands Forum is the region’s premier political and economic policy organization that comprises of 18 members: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Independent State of Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
(Eagle News Service)
