Pacific Leaders Engage with UN General Assembly President as Samoa Highlights UN80 Reform Priorities
2026-03-12 - 02:58
New York, United States Samoa joined fellow Pacific Islands Forum members in a high-level engagement with the President of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, H.E. Annalena Baerbock, to discuss key priorities affecting the Pacific region and the future of the United Nations. The meeting brought together Pacific leaders and representatives to exchange views on how the United Nations can continue to respond effectively to the realities faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS). During the dialogue, Hon. Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molio’o, Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa, delivered Samoa’s intervention focusing on the UN80 Initiative, the ongoing reform process aimed at strengthening and modernizing the United Nations system. Welcoming the reform discussions, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the UN must remain inclusive, responsive, and effective, particularly for geographically dispersed island states. “Across our vast ocean, our islands may be small but our voices carry far,” she stated. Samoa noted that for Pacific countries, the value of the United Nations is measured not only in global negotiations, but also in the support that reaches communities, villages, women, and children across the region. The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the importance of ensuring that UN reform efforts preserve a strong development presence in the Pacific and strengthen engagement at the country and community levels. “For our region, reform must strengthen delivery in communities not simply reduce costs,” she noted. Samoa reaffirmed the Pacific’s commitment to engaging constructively in the reform process to ensure the United Nations remains transparent, balanced, and responsive to the needs of small island developing states. Closing her remarks, Hon. Mulipola reminded the dialogue that even the smallest nations play an important role in shaping the global future. “Even the smallest island can steady the course of the world.”