Eight Pacific leaders have been confirmed as the countdown to the inaugural Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Solutions Forum on 30 – 31 August 2021 continues.
Spearheading the strong Pacific representation is the Prime Minister of Fiji, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, who will co-host the global virtual meeting.
Bainimarama will be joined by Samoa’s new Prime Minister, and the first female to be elected to such a position in the Pacific, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa. The meeting will be one of the first global gatherings she will address in her new capacity.
Other Pacific leaders whose participation have been confirmed include the Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Mark Brown, Prime Minister of Tonga, Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa, Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Robert Loughman, President of Palau, Surangel Whips Jr, President of Kiribati, Taneti Maamu and the President of the Marshall Islands, David Kabua.
The leaders will be joined by Heads of International and regional organisations from the Pacific who will ensure the voice of the region is loud and clear during the two-day Forum.
Bainimarama’s role as co-host is fitting given his passion to strengthen nutrition security in his country and the Pacific in the face of climate change.
The Fijian Prime Minister has served as President of COP23 and co-Chair of the first UN Conference on Oceans and has remained a fierce advocate for global recognition of the challenges faced by SIDS especially when it comes to climate change, rising oceans and nutrition.
The Forum convened virtually by FAO and Fiji, in partnership with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), creates a space for the high-level officials and participants to discuss, share, promote and encourage home-grown digital innovations and imported solutions in the agriculture, food and nutrition sectors to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
The ultimate goal is to accelerate the achievement of the agriculture; food and nutrition related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the S.A.M.O.A Pathway priorities in SIDS.
A preliminary programme is available here.
To register for the forum please click here
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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an intergovernmental organization that works in over 130 countries to help eliminate hunger and poverty.
For more information about FAO and its programmes visit: www.fao.org
