Fiji to protect legacy of Paris Agreement: PM

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has given his assurance that Fiji would do everything in its power to preserve and protect the legacy of the Paris Agreement.

He was speaking at the Summit on a Global Pact for the Environment in New York yesterday.

“We intend to do our part to bring the Paris Agreement to life, by making great strides towards fully implementing it during COP23 so that we are ready for success in COP24,” Mr Bainimarama said.

He said the meeting they had convened was another example of their leadership, and Fiji appreciated their determination and perseverance in making the global environmental legal system coherent.

“We understand as a small island developing state that we depend on robust, coherent and enforceable global environmental law to protect our citizens against environmental harm,” he said.

Fiji he said saluted their effort, and felt that it was important to always be thinking about how to improve our global governance to meet the challenges they faced.

“We look forward to engaging in this discussion as it moves forward,” he said. As incoming President of COP23, he wanted to recognise their leadership on climate change, and the efforts of France to bring the world the Paris Agreement as it is an historic achievement for humanity.

The Prime Minister also held a bilateral discussion with Ecuador’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, María Fernanda Espinosa.

He called on Ecuador, as current Chair of the Group of 77 plus one, the largest voting bloc at the UN, to support this process in ensuring that greenhouse gas emissions are reduced at an agreed rate. Yesterday’s meeting also saw the Prime Minister reaffirm Fiji’s support to the G77+1.

Minister Espinosa yesterday also reaffirmed her country’s own support towards Fiji’s presidency of COP23 adding that Ecuador has also ratified the Paris Agreement. She said that Ecuador looked forward to COP23 becoming an ‘implementation and compliance’ COP.

Working together with the Group of 77 plus one for the success of COP23 dominated discussions yesterday between Mr Bainimarama and Ecuador’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, María Fernanda Espinosa.

The talks, held at the margins of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, saw Mr Bainimarama, as incoming COP23 president, highlight the importance of nations working together to achieve the vision of the Paris Agreement.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa Feedback: maikab@fijisun.com.fj