UN General Assembly
1993

addressed from behind national fences. And so, I appeal to all Members to commit themselves fully to reaching at this session the goal of preparing the United Nations to become the central instrument through which we can work to secure the future well-being of our peoples. I believe that the direct experience of my country within our brief time as a Member provides unmistakable evidence of the strength of concerted, international action. Only a few years ago, having emerged from colonialism, our best hopes for development lay in dependence for an indefinite period on the generosity of a few friends, chief among them the United States. Moreover, as inhabitants of small, low-lying islands, we were helpless in the face of the looming threat of sea-level rise and other natural disasters caused by human-induced climate change. Today, through the work of this body and with our participation, the special development needs and environmental concerns of all small island developing States are being carefully addressed in a number of settings, including the Conventions on climate change and