REMARKS: Secretary General, Baron Divavesi Waqa at the Debrief of Political Climate Champions

Fiji Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance – Honorable Biman Prasad
Republic of the Marshall Islands Minister in Assistance to the President and Environment – Honorable Bremity Lakjohn
Samoa Minister of Natural Resources and Environment – Honorable Cedric Schuster
Tuvalu Minister of Local Government, Climate Change and Environment – Honorable Maina Talia
Niue Minister of Minister of Natural Resources – Honorable Mona Ainuu
Vanuatu Minister of Climate Change – Honorable Ralph Regenvanu
One CROP colleagues
National Advisors and PSIDS lead technical negotiators

1.    A very warm welcome to this debrief. Allow me also this opportunity to express my appreciation and that of my One CROP colleagues for the dedication and commitment to this initiative. As a Political Climate Champion, it is in addition to your own national responsibilities, not an easy feat and one that we do not discount lightly and for this we are truly appreciative. 

2.    COP 29 was my first COP since taking on my current position and seeing everyone in action, working more than 12 hours every day during those 2 weeks of COP, was very motivating. I take this opportunity to echo the sentiments of our Deputy Secretary General Desna and extend our appreciation to our technical negotiators whose support to our Champions was critical to their effective engagement.

3.    We all can agree that Climate Change has always lacked consistent and strong global political leadership. Within this gap, our Pacific Leaders have been and continue to be recognized and acknowledged for their moral leadership. This is more critical now, more than ever, given the current global political dynamics we are in today, with a deviation away from the focus on climate change.

4.    The Political Climate Champions is one initiative that can continue to be the bridge between the political advocacy and technical negotiations where required. We need to continue to rally the world towards a 1.5 degree Celsius world. Nothing else should matter and nothing should undermine the progress that we have been all been working hard to achieve.

5.    This debrief is about looking at areas where we can continue to strengthen this initiative as a means to help elevate Pacific priorities at the political level at UNFCCC COP’s and other global and regional platforms where appropriate. We are strong as a collective and our voices become even more elevated as one region.

6.    Before I conclude, allow me also to acknowledge the funding support to this initiative by Australia and New Zealand. We may not always see eye to eye, we may sit at opposite sides of the table particularly on the issue of climate change, but as I highlighted earlier, during these time of uncertainties it is best we continue to work to bring everyone to our side.

7.    My sincere appreciation again to you our Political Climate Champions, our national advisors and our One CROP colleagues. Let us use this opportunity to put our critical thinking together for the objective of strengthening this initiative for the benefit of our region and our future.

8.    Thank you again.