Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, while speaking at the event of Building Climate Resilience for the Urban Poor, has highlighted the plight of Fijians.
This in relation to ever-growing issue of climate change which is being discussed at COP 25 in Spain.
Bainimarama says too often, those living in informal settlements around the world are deprived by both their lack of resources and their heightened susceptibility to the ravages of a changing climate.
“When I visit these communities in Fiji, those living there could ask me, as their Prime Minister, for anything in the world. But they don’t ask for hand-outs. Time and again, at every community I visit, Fijians look me in the eyes and ask for one of two things: a seawall or a cyclone shelter. On the front lines of climate change, these Fijians see first-hand that adaptation is necessary, and it is necessary now.”
The PM also quick to point out that there is an urgent need for resilience in the world.
“The current lack of climate resilience among our urban poor is not a Fijian problem, or a Kenyan problem, or a Brazilian problem. It is a global problem, and it will take global solutions. As a global community, we have a commitment to leaving no citizen behind in our fight against climate change.”
COP 25 continues tonight in Madrid ending on Friday.
