HIS EXCELLENCY RATU EPELI NAILATIKAU CF, KStJ, LVO, OBE (Mil) CSM, MSD President of the Republic of Fiji

STATEMENT AT THE WELCOME DINNER IN HONOUR OF THE LEADERS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE 2ND SUMMIT OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Golden Ballroom Wednesday 18th June, 2014
Sheraton
8:00pm

His Excellency, the President of the Republic Of Indonesia, Professor Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Madam Ani Bambang Yudhoyono
His Excellency, The President of the Republic Of Kiribati, Mr Anote Tong and Madam First Lady, Mrs Meme Tong
His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Nauru, Baron Divavesi Waqa and Madam First Lady, Mrs Louisa Divavesi
The Prime Minister of Fiji, Voreqe Bainimarama and Mrs Mary Bainimarama
The Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia, Alik L Alik
The Prime Minister of Tonga, Baron Siale A Taonga Tuivakanoa and Mrs Robin Tuivakanoa
Honourable Ministers
The Heads of Delegations
Your Excellencies,the Special Envoys for China and Russia
Your Excellencies the Ambassadors and High Commissioners
Your Excellencies the Observers From Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Singapore, Turkey and Venezuela
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
A very good evening to you all
Ni sa bula vinaka
Salaam alaykum
Namaste

It is indeed my great honor this evening, on behalf of the government and the people of Fiji, to welcome you all most warmly and to extend the well wishes of the Fijian people on the occasion of this brief but far reaching visit with us. We hope that you will enjoy and are enjoying the endearing hospitality of our people.

This evening marks a very special occasion for a number of important reasons.

Firstly, the visit to our shores by the President and Head of State of one of the most progressive economies, not just in Asia but in the world who is here as Chief Guest of the Second Summit of the Pacific Island Development Forum. This is indeed a great yet rare privilege that His Excellency, Professor Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has bestowed upon us.

My wife Adi Koila and i are most proud to host this dinner in Your Excellencies honour, and in honour of all the other distinguished Heads of State, and the Vice Presidents, the Leaders of Government, the Honourable Ministers, the Heads of Delegation, your Excellencies the Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Your Excellencies the Observers, and the distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen to mark the occasion of this Second PIDF Summit.
There are a number of historic firsts that we are also celebrating today. Fiji celebrates forty years of bilateral relations with the Republic of Indonesia, which was established in 1974. It is the first visit to Fiji by the President of the Republic of Indonesia. I believe it is also a first for the whole of the Pacific Region. I consider it fitting therefore, that we are sharing this privilege as a pacific family during this Second Summit of the PIDF.

We have benefitted immensely in the past from President Yudhoyono’s wisdom and vast experience and from his contribution at this summit.

Through the establishment of the Pacific Islands Development Forum, the people of the Pacific Region have also shared the vision of a strong, balanced, inclusive and sustainable growth as formulated through President Yudhoyono’s four-track strategy of pro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-poverty reduction and pro-environment.

One of the paradigm shifts strongly advocated in the report of the UN High Level Panel of Eminent Persons, of which His Excellency President Yudhoyono was one of the co-chairs, is unfolding in the Pacific Region in the form of the PIDF.

I must admit that the essence of an organisation like the PIDF is a bold and forward-looking move that many governments still shy away from, preferring instead to conform to the conventional rules of engagement of an, quote, ‘us against them’, unquote, approach.

In the Pacific Region however, the PIDF governments have decided to take that bold step and become the welcome exception to the rule. We are very proud to be a part of this process in the region.

I am certain that we all support the bolstering of a new development paradigm which underscores clearly the importance of recognizing and respecting the limited thresholds of our planetary boundaries.

It implies that the development model each country upholds is one that successfully integrates the environmental, economic and social pillars of sustainable development. It is evident that there will be no one-size-fits-all approach for the post-2015 development agenda. Each country must be able to adapt efficiently and effectively to its unique set of challenges and circumstances that confront its development pathway from 2015 onwards.

For all of us in the Pacific Island Development Forum, if we get our bearings right with the launch of this new development paradigm currently pursued in the post-2015 development agenda; if we play our cards right as we should, in respecting our planetary boundaries, respecting also each other’s territorial integrity, as we assert our rights to exploit, in a responsible manner our natural resources for equitable economic growth, sustainable development and strengthened global partnerships; then we can be assured of a future where this region will become a model to the world.

This is, we believe, the vision for the region on sustainable development, one that transcends the post-2015 development agenda which ends in 2030. It is the vision that fiji would like to share with all of you tonight.

Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, thank you for honouring us with your presence and we trust that your participation at this summit will not only be enjoyable but also rewarding for your countries.

Thank you
Vinaka vakalevu
Sukria
Bahoot dhanyavaad