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September 27, 2024

Tuvalu Says Low-Lying Pacific Nations Must Retain Sovereignty in Face of Existential Climate Threat
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At the U.N. General Assembly, leaders of low-lying Pacific nations urged
the global community to take decisive action ahead of a major
declaration, scheduled for 2026, on how the world will tackle sea level
rise, an existential threat for many island nations. This is Feleti Teo,
prime minister of Tuvalu.

Prime Minister Feleti Teo: "We expect the declaration to include the
following: firstly, to ascertain the principle of statehood continuity
as a tenet of international law and international cooperation, and to
affirm that statehood cannot be challenged under any circumstances of
sea level rise. Our membership in the United Nations and its specialized
agency is permanent, notwithstanding the impact of climate change."



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