Your Excellencies, PIF Secretary General, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen from the Pacific Islands Forum; Fiji, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, Australia, FSM (Micronesia), Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga.

Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and Fiji for hosting this Ministerial Dialogue.

It is a great pleasure to be here in the Pacific and to introduce today's discussion on the Pacific's leadership in accelerating global climate action, and how international collaboration is integral in support of this ambition.

Climate change, specifically rising sea-levels, poses a significant threat to island nations and coastal communities worldwide. It not only jeopardizes access to vital resources such as water, food, and healthcare, but also threatens lives and can lead to internal displacement and migration.  All of which can exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities.

For hundreds of millions of individuals residing in small island developing states and low-lying coastal areas, rising sea levels is a devastating issue. Although every country is affected by climate change, few face the existential crisis that many small island developing countries do.

Today’s discussion is an opportunity to share knowledge, coordinate efforts and ensure these issues are rightfully prioritized, leading to the solutions needed to reach our common climate goals together.

I hope and trust this meeting will also serve to strengthen this important International Climate Alliance.

Thank you.

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