(in the energy transport and Telecommunications sectors)
Madam/Mr Chair, Excellencies, Ladies & Gentlemen
More than half of the Commission’s 62 member countries belong to the group of countries that have special situations reflective of the unique challenges that they face. The focus of the Special Body this year is on ways to strengthen regional cooperation for seamless and sustainable connectivity.
Digital connectivity, in Samoa, has improved significantly in the last decade due to conducive policies such as the introduction of competition in the mobile sector and establishing an independent regulator, which were implemented in the telecommunications sector. New national digital policies and government entities have been approved, including a National Cybersecurity Strategy, National Computer Emergency Response Team(CERT), and a Digital Transformation Authority. In addition, the Government’s investment in new submarine cables in partnership with donor agencies has resulted in the connection of three submarine cables in 2009, 2018 and in 2020. This has resulted in significant availability of bandwidth for users. However, access and affordability of Internet, in Samoa, lags behind the averages of the other Pacific small islands developing States as well as of the Asia-Pacific region. But, as connectivity increases, either via broadband or mobile networks, there is potential for a wider deployment of digital finance and positive socioeconomic transformation.
Chair,
Samoa like other SIDS, face a specific set of challenges. They are inherently small open economies, and many are heavily dependent on imported oil products for their energy needs, including electricity, transportation, and cooking. They also face some of the highest electricity costs in the world, coupled with significant supply chain hurdles. Due to low volumes, small markets, varying fuel standards, distance from suppliers and the limited negotiating strength of individual island countries and territories, the costs for imported refined oil products (including diesel, gasoline, and LPG) are generally high. Furthermore, the surge in global oil commodity prices has led to inflation on other supplies, including food, while constraining government fiscal space.
SIDS are also at the frontlines of climate change, facing the impacts attributed to global warming. Their energy infrastructure are highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, flooding and tsunamis, which can lead to energy supply disruptions and increase energy security risks. And while SIDS contribute less than 1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, many have committed to shifting their sources of power generation to 100 percent renewables by 2030 as part of their Nationally Determined Contributions. Many SIDS are looking to reduce reliance on imported oil products and move to cleaner forms of energy, develop clean energy infrastructure, storage, and transportation networks across islands
Chair,
The small size, remoteness and insularity of SIDS pose daunting challenges in transport and trade logistics and undermine their ability to achieve their sustainable development goals. In relation to shipping, small cargo volumes in SIDS, limit their ability to benefit from economies of scale or attract shipping services and investors. Participation in global trade depends significantly on a country’s ability to access reliable transport services that connect regional and global trading partners and to do so cost effectively.
I wish to make mention of the Moana Taka Partnership between Swire Shipping and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program(SPREP) which was initiated in 2017. The partnership was established in recognition of the growing problem of plastics and other wastes in the Pacific region, caused by the lack of on-shore recycling facilities as well as utilising the missed opportunity when ships delivering containers of goods to SIDS, generally leave SIDS ports with a large percentage of empty containers for the backhaul. Two Pacific SIDS are now part of this partnership.
Remoteness is an important factor contributing to higher transport costs in our countries. Domestic inter-island shipping services in many countries of the Pacific region – especially to outer islands – are infrequent and unreliable. This has a negative impact on the production and income generation possibilities of islands, as regular access to markets is a critical factor. Given the geographical settings of SIDS, transportation is proving to be one of the fastest consumers of petroleum.
The importance of the tourism sector for SIDS economies and its strong linkages to transport cannot be overemphasized, High air transport prices can lead to declining tourist flows and revenues, so some SIDS are looking at alternatives such as the use of cheaper chartered flights.
Chair
The Commission can play a major role in aligning the SAMOA Pathway with the Sustainable Development Agenda through more collaborative efforts with Pacific institutions and organisations to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework. It is important that the new development framework to come out of the 4th SIDS conference next year must pay attention to this situation. Greater focus be given to climate change/resilience as the core of regional development efforts in regional work programs. There will always be the need for more durable relevant and quality partnerships which have to be grounded in the SIDS’ experience and based on SIDS’ needs and priorities. Our priorities must be clear as these will guide more informed planning and formulation of technical cooperation and capacity building assistance for small island developing states that the Commission can provide as we prepare for the 4th SIDS conference in 2024.
Thank you.
