“Opportunities will not be gifted on a silver platter, they need to be sought out.”
This was highlighted by the Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum during the Pacific Multi Stakeholder Dialogue on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda, SAMOA Pathway and the Framework for Pacific Regionalism.
Sayed-Khaiyum says we have at our disposal a global marketplace that offers innovative, cutting-edge technologies that can be game changers for small-island economies.
“We need to be vocal about our development needs and aspirations in every arena, so that we can access and leverage the knowledge and expertise of the global community for the benefit of our citizens.”
The acting Prime Minister told the regional leaders to consider the bigger picture and the long-term implications.
“We’ve got to think about the impact our policies today will have tomorrow, and decades on from now. We cannot build for the short-term. We cannot tolerate Band-Aid solutions to the challenges we face.”
Sayed-Khaiyum says we need to think outside the box to come up with more creative solutions going forward as our progress on these issues translates directly into higher standards of living for Pacific Islanders.
