Russ Kun, President and Head of State of the Republic of Nauru, addresses the general debate of the General Assembly's seventy-eighth session. Source: UN Photo Library,

During the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, Ras Khan, the Head of State and President of Nauru, presented a series of significant positions and views pertinent to global issues and sustainable development goals.

Contents

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• Nauru's President extends gratitude to UN General Assembly for global unity efforts
• Ras Khan's plea: Revamping development aid for small island developing states:
• Climate crisis echoed
• Nauru's dedication to quality education

Nauru's President extends gratitude to UN General Assembly for global unity efforts

Initially, Khan expressed positive sentiment towards the UN General Assembly for its effort to pursue global unity and peace. This declaration aligns closely with Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16), which promotes the establishment of inclusive societies characterised by peace and justice. Khan further cemented this stance by demonstrating Nauru's active commitment to these essential global objectives.

Ras Khan's plea: Revamping development aid for small island developing states:

On the topic of development aid, Khan advocated for a broader and more comprehensive vulnerability assessment system to help Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including Nauru. He promoted the implementation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), stressing that reliance on Gross National Income (GNI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) alone was insufficient. His argument emphasised the challenges faced by SIDS in gaining access to vital financial aid, thus spotlighting a significant shortfall in the development assistance strategies associated with SDG 1 and 10.

Climate crisis echoed

Voicing distress over global climate action, Khan manifested a negative sentiment towards the current response to environmental crises, echoing the propositions of SDG 13 on Climate Action. He associated the escalating prevalence of natural disasters, such as fires, heatwaves and typhoons, with the effects of climate change, underscoring the urgent need for nations to mitigate and adapt to such changes.
Addressing SDG 14, Khan reasserted Nauru's commitment to the health and biodiversity of oceans. He referenced Nauru's active involvement in and endorsement of the Treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), thereby embodying a resolute stance towards environmental conservation.

Nauru's dedication to quality education

In relation to SDG 4, the President emphasised the vital role of quality education in promoting sustainable development. He elaborated upon Nauru's initiatives to bolster its education sector, a step taken in response to the widening educational gaps caused by the pandemic, with an aim to enhance the standard of education.

Finally, Khan issued a call for a sweeping global re-evaluation. He underlined the necessity to reform the international financial system and the Security Council. This, he argued, was crucial to prevent smaller, sovereign states such as Nauru from being disadvantaged, thus indicating negative sentiment towards the current system that obstructs their autonomy.