United Nations Radio

The representative of Nauru to the United Nations has called for a greater presence of the world organization in the Pacific.

Nauru

Ambassador Marlene Moses of Nauru was speaking in the General Assembly's Economic and Financial Committee on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States on Tuesday.

She said the Organization should open more offices in the region to enable these countries to fully engage the UN institutions and benefit from their services.

Ambassador Moses said capacity constraints are often the single biggest barrier to the ability of the countries in the Pacific region to access development assistance.

"Without basic information we are unable to monitor social and economic progress in our region. This is a basic building bloc that is missing and hindering our progress towards sustainable development and the delivery of real change on the ground that improves the lives of the people of the Pacific."

Ambassador Marlene Moses also said that there have been many broken promises and failures to provide necessary funds as pledged by donor countries under international agreements.

The global economic crisis, she added, should not deter donor countries from making good on their official development assistance obligations.

Gail Walker, United Nations Radio
Duration: 1'16"