31 May 2017, New York ; Today, Ambassador Ahmed Sareer led a press conference with AOSIS colleagues, Ambassador Jane Chigyal of the Federated States of Micronesia and Ambassador Ronald Jumeau of the Seychelles. The briefing was supposed to focus on the upcoming UN Oceans Conference, and the Island Ambassadors certainly covered ocean issues that are key to their countries, fisheries, ocean acidification, pollution, and others. But the elephant in the room were rumors that the United States will leave the Paris Agreement. The Ambassadors kept calm, stayed diplomatic and told it like it was. As Ambassador Sareer said: "Islands brought climate change to international attention in the late 1980s. We've been through a lot since then and it took a lot of work to get the US onboard. Of course, we would rather that they be in, but whatever happens we won't give up. That's the Island spirit."

The event was organisaed by Department of Public Information of the United Nations.

The link to the video could be found at :http://webtv.un.org/media/watch/to-preview-the-world-ocean-conference-press-conference-31-may-2017/5454664234001

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