Mr.
President,
I
would like to extend my appreciation to New Zealand for putting the spotlight,
for the very first time in this council, on the Peace and Security challenges
facing Small Island Developing States.
Mr.
President,
Albert
Einstein said, and I quote:
“In
matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems”
Mr.
President, in matters of truth and justice there is also no
difference between large and small countries. More than a fifth of the member
states of the United Nations are classified as Small Island Developing States.
Whether in the Pacific, the Caribbean or off the coast of Africa, members of
this unique community, the SIDS, are disproportionately affected by climate change,
environmental degradation, and natural disasters. These challenges pose considerable
obstacles to their development, and ultimately, to their peace and security,
and to ours.
Mr.
President,
One major challenge for the SIDS is the health of our Oceans.
Although
we in Israel may not have vast oceans lapping at our shores, we know that they
are the lifeblood of our blue planet. Healthy oceans are not only essential for
the environment but they are at the core of the world’s economic prosperity, social
resilience, and our peace and security. While the health of our oceans is an
issue we must all confront together, the Small Island states are at the
vanguard of this global effort, and face the highest risks should we all fail.
In
this campaign, it is not the size of the country, but the bravery and
determination of its people that will make the difference. One example we can
look to is Palau, which has demonstrated courage and leadership, announcing it
will establish the world’s first Nation-wide Marine Sanctuary. Palau will
designate its entire ocean territory as a regenerative zone for sharks, whales,
tuna, and countless other precious species.
When
asked about his country’s tremendous efforts in this regards, The president of
Palau, Tommy Remen-Gesau replied powerfully and succinctly, and he said:
“We have no choice - the ocean is our way of life”. End of quote.
Mr. President, the international community has no choice but to stand
with the SIDS to protect our Oceans and to combat climate change.
Mr. President,
Around the globe, SIDS are proactively coming together and partnering
with other countries, to employ innovative ways to combat climate change. For example, the Caribbean Community Climate
Change Centre in Belize coordinates the Caribbean region’s response to climate
change. Efforts to incorporate renewable energy, particularly solar power to
combat climate change are growing in this region. Recently, energy professionals from Trinidad
and Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Belize came to Israel to undergo a
unique course of intensive training in renewable sources of energy.
Israel and its Caribbean SIDS partners are working together to bring
renewable energy solutions to the region because we know that small countries
can produce big ideas.
Mr. President,
The
courage of SIDS, disproportionate to their size and population, is also quite
evident in the realm of Peacekeeping. Some of the smallest SIDS, some of the
smallest member states in this family of nations in fact, are proud contributors
to Peacekeeping. Countries like Vanuatu, Samoa and Grenada contribute police
officers to peacekeeping efforts around the world.
For
decades we in Israel have appreciated the presence of the Fijian peacekeepers
serving in the UN Peacekeeping missions in the Golan Heights and in Lebanon and
in the multilateral force in the Sinai. Far away from home, the Fijian
peacekeepers have earned a place of respect for their contribution to peace and
security in our region.
Mr.
President,
Israel
is a small island of sorts, a state in the midst of an often turbulent sea of hostility.
We face important challenges to peace and security, but in our early years, the
primary strategic threat to Israel was the scarcity of our water supply, and
the challenge of developing our agricultural infrastructure- issues still
plaguing many of the SIDS. This is not ancient history, nor is it theory. Our
successes and our failures are still fresh, and those lessons are part of our
contribution to our SIDS partners in their path to development, peace, and
security.
In
2014 Israel participated in the historic SIDS conference in Samoa. The Samoa Pathway outcome document
of 2014 is the road map for addressing the challenges of Peace and Security
facing the SIDS. At its heart is the principle of sustainable
development of small island developing States through genuine and durable
partnerships.
In
the spirit of the Samoa Pathway, Israel has pledged to provide 25 public health
scholarships for SIDS scholars at the world-renowned Hebrew University in
Jerusalem, which I’m a graduate of. Furthermore Israel, in cooperation with the
Marshall Islands deployed an innovative, mobile water purification vehicle in
the island of Ebeye.
As we are about to agree on the most comprehensive and
ambitious sustainable development goals for the next 15 years, we must make
sure that SIDS remain at the top of our priorities.
Mr.
President.
To
conclude, in our interconnected global reality, no man is an island, and no island
is detached from the rest of the world. Island nations must be
embraced. From Port Vila in Vanuatu, to Port au Prince in Haiti, the global
community must sow the seeds of development, so that the SIDS prosper in the
future.
Thank
You