Leaders and Ministers from Pacific countries have reiterated the call on the global community to come together to agree on an effective and coherent Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) that reflects the needs of Pacific islands nations to conserve their unique biodiversity.
They have also further re-emphasised the message that Pacific islands face unique conditions in their efforts to conserve and manage biodiversity, due to their geographic situation, limited land area and vast ocean spaces, and they need financial assistance to do this.
These views were expressed by the Premier of Niue, Hon. Dalton Tagelagi, Palau Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment, Hon. Steven Victor, Samoa Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE), Hon. Toeolesulusulu Cedric Shuster, Vanuatu Minister of Climate Change, Hon. Ralph Regevanu, Ambassadors and Heads of Delegations who attended a Pacific Ministers Informal Roundtable Breakfast meeting at the Intercontinental Hotel in Montreal Canada, last week.
New Zealand’s Minister of Conservation, Hon. Poto Williams, was present as well as Australia’s Head of Delegation, Mr James Larsen.
The breakfast hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and funded by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand provided Ministers an opportunity to discuss priority biodiversity issues and challenges in our region as Pacific delegates look to do their part to finalise an ambitious post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to halt biodiversity loss.
