Small Islands State (SIS) Session at the Fourth Asia-Pacific Water Summit (APWS)

2022/04/24
Kumamoto City, Japan

Date: 24 April 2022

Place:  Kumamoto, Japan

 

On 24 April at the Fourth Asia-Pacific Water Summit (APWS), UNCRD co-organized the Small Islands State (SIS) Session with the High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP), Governments of Australia and Japan, Asia Development Bank (ADB), and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to discuss SIDS-specific water issues. Following opening remarks by Chair of HELP and welcome remarks by Deputy Minister for International Projects, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan and Ambassador of Australia, keynotes speeches were delivered by Prime Minister of Tuvalu and President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (video message). Keynote presentations were also made by Minister of State for Environment of the Republic of Maldives, Minister for Infrastructure and Finance of Niue, and President of JAXA. In response, remarks were delivered by other representatives of the countries and organizations including Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Federated States of Micronesia, Independent State of Samoa, and the Kingdom of Tonga, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist of ADB, and Director of DSDG/UNCRD. The Session was concluded by the final comments of Special Water Envoy, the Netherlands and closing remarks by HELP. The results of the discussions will be reflected into the outcome document of APWS and will also contribute to The 7th Global Platform for Disaster Reduction in May 2022 in Bali, The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in September 2022 in Brisbane, and midterm reviews of the global goals including the Water Action Decade, Sendai Framework, SDGS, and conferences of the parties, and other important milestones. DSDG/UNCRD also made a statement on its efforts and future commitments related to water during the High-Level Statement Session at APWS.