Fiji: UN envoy stresses need to highlight challenges faced by small island states

13 August 2003 – Meeting with top government officials in Fiji, a United Nations envoy has stressed the need to create a platform for small island states to participate in an up-coming global development meeting and underscored the need for using such an opportunity to focus on gaining concrete and feasible commitments.

The comments by Anwarul Chowdhury - UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - came during his three-day visit to Fiji, where he met with several top government officials, representatives of civil society organizations and the UN Country Team.

Yesterday, Mr. Chowdhury briefed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase on the preparatory process for the 10-year review of the implementation of the outcome of the 1994 Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States held in Barbados. The review will be held next August in Mauritius.

He also emphasized that the remoteness of the small island developing states (SIDS), their small economies, ecological fragility and environmental vulnerability should be put high on the global development agenda. The High Representative committed full UN to development efforts of SIDS.