Guterres hails Papua New Guinea as an example of diversity, dialogue and climate action

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The Pacific Island nation of Papua New Guinea is proof that embracing differences can be the world’s greatest strength, the UN Secretary-General said in a speech to parliamentarians in the capital, Port Moresby, on Wednesday. 

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António Guterres is the first serving UN Secretary-General to visit the country, which is celebrating 50 years of independence.

He praised its tremendous diversity, with over 800 languages spoken and countless traditions.

Commitment to peace, dignity and progress

“And yet, you have a shared commitment to speak with one voice – to having ‘one talk’ – for peace, for dignity and for progress,” he said.

“You are champions of multilateralism and international solutions. And that spirit is urgently needed in our world today.”

He said that “Papua New Guinea offers a number of powerful lessons to the world”, with the first being forging consensus through dialogue.

The country has spent the past half century working to build “a single nation out of many traditions, many islands, many tongues”, which has not been easy.

Last Saturday, 30 August, marked 24 years since the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement. The accord between the Government and separatists ended a decade of conflict and established the autonomous Bougainville region.

Mr. Guterres said that while the conflict left deep scars, Papua New Guinea and Bougainville have stayed the course of peace for more than two decades.

“You have shown the world the path of healing through dialogue, perseverance and mutual respect,” he said, adding that people in Bougainville will go to the polls on Thursday in the fifth autonomous election since the agreement.

Leadership in climate action

Another lesson from Papua New Guinea has been bold climate action.

This was the Secretary-General’s first visit to the Pacific region since the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s highest judicial body, issued a landmark advisory opinion affirming that addressing the climate crisis is a legal obligation under international law.

As Pacific countries played a central role, the advisory opinion “is a testament to the leadership of Papua New Guinea, Melanesia and the wider Pacific region”, particularly young people, who make up 60 per cent of the population.

A crucial voice

“Your voice will be integral again during the annual UN climate conference in Belem, Brazil,” he said, warning that efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius are in jeopardy.

He urged countries to submit new national climate plans that align with this goal, cover all emissions across their economies and accelerate the transition from fossil fuels.

Mr. Guterres also called for action on climate finance, including stepping up contributions to the loss and damage fund, while richer countries must honour their promise to double adaptation finance and deliver $300 billion each year over the next decade.

Furthermore, as many developing countries are “drowning in unsustainable debt”, reform of the current international financial architecture is needed to make it fairer and more representative. The same applies to the UN Security Council and other international institutions.

United Nations

The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed (centre right), joined a march in support of International Women’s Day in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in March 2020.

Representation of women

The UN chief noted that Papua New Guinea once hosted peacekeepers, but today is a champion of peacebuilding and sustainable development.

He stressed, however, that “no story of peace or progress is complete without fully including half of the population”, highlighting another area where the country can set an example.

He recalled that UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed was there five years ago for the national launch of the Spotlight Initiative — part of the world’s largest effort to end all forms of violence against women and girls, a challenge that exists in all societies.

In March, parliament devoted an entire day to testimonies on gender-based violence, marking a vital step.

“Ensuring greater voice and representation of women is not only a matter of justice — it is a matter of national strength,” he said.

“Families thrive. Communities grow stronger. And institutions become more responsive when we uphold the rights of all.”