Apia Statement on Small Island Developing States and the Role of Local Government in the Pacific

Highlighting the fact that 2014 is the Year of Developmental Local Government which emphasises local government’s role in development and its mandate to promote local democracy and development, especially economic development, throughout the Commonwealth;

Underscoring the importance of role that local government plays in mobilizing local people in achieving sustainable development;

Recalling that the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action established two important fora related to the role of local government entitled the “Forum on Cities and Subnational Authorities” and the “Technical Expert Meeting on Urban Environment”;
Reaffirming the Abuja Declaration on Local Democracy and Development, and the Kampala Declaration on Developmental Local Government;
Recalling that the Munyonyo Statement on Local Government’s Role which highlights the important role that should have in setting , implementing and monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level;
Welcoming the Port Moresby Declaration on Pacific Futures: Building on Local Communities, 2014;
Reaffirming the Pacific Island Forum Statement of 2014 which notes that Leaders acknowledge the importance of the involvement of stakeholders at the national and local level;
Welcoming the work of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum Pacific;

Accordingly, Pacific island nations and their communities:

1. Acknowledge the critical role that local government will play in mobilizing local government and communities in the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway;

2. Underscore the importance of incorporating the role of local government in the post-2015 development agenda.

3. Recommend that all governments, regional organisation and UN agencies acknowledge the fact that action to address the impacts of climate change and to decarbonise our economies can only be effectively achieved through the actions of local government and communities.

4. Encourage Governments and Local Authorities to create the necessary investment environment to support local economic development including through the creation of decent jobs and livelihoods that contribute to sustainable development.

5. Emphasise the need to ensure that information and communications technology platforms and information dissemination hubs in small island developing States is established at the local level to facilitate information exchange and cooperation.

6. Highlight the importance of establishing effective and comprehensive early warning systems at the local government level to ensure that local communities have adequate warning of potential natural disasters and climate change catastrophes.

7. Underscore the importance of ensuring that cities and human settlements are safe, resilient and sustainable.

8. Call on the donor community to provide technical, financial and capacity building support to enhance the efforts of local government and communities in achieving the aims stated above.