Nauru calls for enhanced UN presence in South Pacific

The United Nations’ strengthened presence and engagement in the South Pacific is vital if the region’s countries are to meet development goals, the President of Nauru told the General Assembly today.

For the past four years, the island nation has called on the world body to set up an office in the country, Marcus Stephen said at the annual high-level debate.

“The absence of the UN in the Pacific is reflected by the paucity of statistics collected in the region,” he pointed out, adding that such data is vital in tracking economic and social progress and in the ability of governments and regional organizations in setting policies.

The President also pointed out the danger of adding “layers upon layers of new programmes,” noting existing schemes such as the Monterrey Consensus, the 2002 global partnership agreement for developed countries to devote 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) to official development aid (ODA).

“Too often, the UN and other development partners succeed in delivering many new reports but fail to deliver tangible results,” he said. “Action plans are no substitute for action.”