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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 Statement by His Excellency Dr. Elliston Rahming, Bahamas Permanent
Representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the
United Nations, at the Council for Integral Development (CIDI) of the
Organisation of American States on the theme: “The Challenges and
Opportunities of Nationalizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS)-
The Perspective Of The Commonwealth Of The Bahamas,” in Washington,
D.c., on October 13, 2015:
Mr. Chairman,
I wish to first thank you for inviting me to speak on this very important theme
of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in particular, the perspective
of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
My dual accreditation to the United Nations (UN) and the Organization for
American States (OAS) places me in a somewhat unique position to speak to the
SDGs and how they might be animated in the context of the OAS.
Mr. Chairman,
Last month, Prime Minster of The Bahamas, the Right Honourable Perry Christie
joined more than 150 world leaders at the United Nations to participate in the
historic United Nations Sustainable Development Summit for the adoption of the
post-2015 development agenda - an Agenda with the aim to significantly improve
the quality of life for all. The Government of The Bahamas is committed to the
full and effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and to
building a stronger and more sustainable Bahamas.
The Government of The Bahamas attaches priority to intensifying its efforts to
eradicate poverty; eliminate substandard housing; improve infant mortality;
promote gender equality and the rights of the disabled; and to reduce crime and
violence. Additionally, the Government renewed its commitment to the protection
of our oceans and its species; and there is a firm commitment to migrate to renewable
sources of energy by 2030. Recognizing its importance and role in supporting
efforts for sustained economic growth, the Government has committed itself in
the areas of education and training to serve the needs of Bahamians across the
board.
Agreeing to, and adopting the SDGs and Targets, suggests that countries agree
to align themselves to national priorities and national sustainable development
goals. In this context, I would like to share with the Council that The Bahamas
is currently formulating a 25 year national development plan that aims to set
policy direction for economic growth, and to identify strategies, programmes,
and projects to improve the overall health and sustainability of the economy.
We will enhance our expertise in the areas of maritime affairs and ocean
conservation, environmental sustainability, and economic and tax matters to
assist in the further development and execution of our national priorities,
regionally and internationally.
Mr. Chairman,
To achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which comprise more than 160
targets, The Bahamas, an archipelagic Small Island Developing State, like
others, will need the assistance of the international community. The economy of
The Bahamas is exceptionally exposed to various types of vulnerabilities
including, environmental, economic, social, and other external shocks, all of
which at times disrupt the planned fiscal policy of the Government allocated
for the further development of a sustainable economy. It is in this vein that The
Bahamas maintains that GDP per capita should not be the primary determinant for
the question of international economic assistance or concessional access to
development financing. Instead, the unique circumstances of Small Island
Developing States especially of those that are most vulnerable, should be given
due consideration when deciding qualifications for economic assistance.
Mr. Chairman, let me more specific:
The failure of the launch of a single, large investment project or service
could severely jeopardize the overall economy of a SIDS Country. Even worse,
the passage of one hurricane can destroy the lives and livelihoods of scores of
residents on any, or all of our islands. Sadly, this was the case, as earlier
this month Joaquin, a powerful category 4 hurricane ravaged the Southern
Bahamas and Dominica was hit by another disaster earlier on.
It is certainly these kinds of vulnerabilities that challenge our ability to
achieve the time bound internationally agreed upon development goals. And so it
becomes ever more important for a renewed Global Partnership to meaningfully
address these issues, in order to strengthen our efforts to implement the
Sustainable Development Goals.
Mr. Chairman,
We cannot discuss sustainable development without addressing the very serious
issue of climate change and the unique threats it poses to SIDS. The Bahamas
looks forward to a practical and sustainable outcome from the Conference of the
Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change scheduled
to be held in Paris in December of this year, as the effective implementation
of a practical framework is vital to the survival of SIDS.
It is with all of this in mind that I commend the ongoing work of the OAS which
seeks to bolster sustainable development within Member States, notably through
the upcoming Ministerial in Honduras to conclude an Inter-American Programme
for Sustainable Development for the next 15 years. The six proposed programme areas – Climate
Change and Disaster Risk Management; Sustainable Management of Land and
Ecosystems; Water Resources Management; Sustainable Energy Management;
Sustainable Cities; and Good Governance for Inclusive and Sustainable
Development – reinforce the commitments that all of our States have made at the
United Nations and will provide a substantive development agenda for this
Organization over the next two decades.
Mr. Chairman,
I recall as well the commitments that our Permanent Council made last year in
celebration of the International Year of the Small Island Developing States to
promote actions and to take specific measures towards the implementation of
commitments aimed at the achievement of sustainable development of Small Island
Developing States at all levels, including through international, regional and
sub-regional cooperation.
There is more that the OAS must do, however, to animate its commitments,
particularly with respect to supporting the sustainable development of SIDS
like The Bahamas. I have highlighted that climate change and access to concessional
development financing and aid are two of the foremost challenges small island
developing states continue to grapple with. The OAS has the hemispheric and
global political legitimacy and possesses the convening power, particularly in
the Inter-American system, to champion these issues and coordinate purposive
action, which builds on the strengths and desires of Member States and the
myriad entities of the Inter-American System.
Further, as we embark on an exercise of mandate prioritization within the OAS,
we must be mindful that we do not miss the forest for the trees; that we become
so concerned with the administrative at the peril of the substantive; that
without due consideration we callously jettison projects and programmes where
the OAS has comparative advantage and impact, particularly for small island
developing states.
Lastly, Mr. Chairman, we must always be mindful that our efforts towards
integral and sustainable development must have people at the centre, given that
ultimately our greatest treasures and assets are our citizens. In this sense, my country views OAS
programmes dedicated to human development and capacity building as one of this
Organization’s comparative advantages, as an area that must be strengthened
going forward and where we must work to ensure projects are more intimately
aligned with the sustainable development goals and the aspirations of our
respective national development plans. Capacity building that shores up
national resiliency and decreases external dependency has to form the
foundation of the work of the OAS towards more sustainable hemispheric
development going forward.
The OAS Charter establishes that “Inter-American cooperation for integral
development is the collective responsibility of the Member States, within the
framework of the democratic principles and the institutions of the
Inter-American system”. The elevation of
the development focus in the Organization to a substantive Council and within
the Secretariat to executive status was not an accident. Integral development
is the precursor that sustains vibrant democracy, ensures security and
strengthens human rights. This planet is, as the Pope said recently, our common
home and we know that, despite differing languages and varying cultures, our
citizens all want societies that are more inclusive, more evenly developed
which are protected for future generations. That is the future that we all want
and my delegation believes that the OAS has the tools and the will to help make
these aspirations a reality.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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