Speaking to journalists in the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Friday, UN chief António Guterres rounded off the first ever visit to the Pacific nation by a sitting Secretary-General, paying tribute to the country's unbroken 50-year run as a multilingual democracy - which is now beset by major economic and environmental challenges.
Flanked by the country's Prime Minister, James Marape, Mr. Guterres echoed comments he made during a speech in the national parliament on Wednesday, in which he described Papua New Guineans as "champions of multilateralism and international solutions."
The Secretary-General noted that, in a world where "we see democratic values being put into question," the country - where some 800 languages are spoken - retains a preference for solving problems peaceably through dialogue.
Time for climate justice…
The climate crisis has been high on the agenda throughout the visit, with Mr. Guterres leaving the capital to visit a rainforest region and discuss the problems caused by the changing climate with civil society representatives.
Addressing the media in Port Moresby, the UN chief expressed gratitude and solidarity with Papua New Guineans, for how they are addressing an existential challenge not of their own making.
"Papua New Guinea does not contribute to climate change," he pointed out. "Papua New Guinea has a negative emissions record, due to an enormous carbon sink: the admirable forests of this country and the ocean."
He said it was time for the international community to recognise that countries like Papua New Guinea deserve climate justice and support to build resilience against the "devastating impact of climate change."
…And economic justice
The country's ability to adapt to the increasingly volatile climate and develop its economy is also hampered, declared Mr. Guterres, by its designation as a middle-income country - which means that it does not have access to the kinds of concessional funding, such as grants, low interest loans and debt relief, that are available to low-income nations.
This, he said, is "an injustice that must be corrected."
Part of the issue, according to the Secretary-General, is the outdated nature of the international financial architecture (a recurrent theme during his mandate). The institutions created over 75 years ago, need to be reformed "in order for developing countries like Papua New Guinea to have a much stronger voice and a much stronger influence in the way decisions are taken," he argued, "and a much higher access to the resources that are essential for the development of the country."
