Oct. 3, 2014 - “The environment, fighting crime and containing illegal immigration” were the highest national priorities for The Bahamas as these matters “go to the very root of our existence” said Foreign Affairs Minister the Hon. Fred Mitchell before the 69^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He was speaking on the theme, "Delivering On and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda" on Tuesday, 30^th September 2014.

Speaking further on these three central themes, Mitchell said that all of the government’s efforts around the three main themes “are buttressed by our work to ensure that we have a robust, strong and sustainable economy.”

He pointed out that since the environment was central to the sustainability of our number one industry, Tourism, it should come as no surprise that The Bahamas has decided upon the following policy initiatives:

The National Environmental Policy, 2005 (Draft); The National Environmental Management and Action Plan for The Bahamas, 2005; The Bahamas National Wetland Policy, 2007;  The Bahamas Protected Areas Fund, 2013; and The Forestry Amendment Act, 2014.

Turning his attention to crime, Mitchell told member states that “The Bahamas has been grappling with serious crime in our society, related, in large measure, to the inability of young males to settle disputes without [resorting] to violence, and the resultant proliferation of gang activity and illicit drugs, small arms and light weapons, and ammunition trafficking.” This reality at home, he said, motivated The Bahamas to become actively involved in the negotiations that led to the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), an adoption Mitchell characterized as ‘a landmark accomplishment of the UN.’

“The Government believes the entry into force of the ATT will contribute to peace and security in The Bahamas. We deposited the Instrument of Ratification of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the Arms Trade Treaty on 25^th September, 2014” said the Minister.

On the issue of illegal immigration, Mitchell said that the signing of a MOU with the International Organization for Migration was part of a multi-faceted approach by the Bahamas government to address the inflow of illegal migrants to The Bahamas.

“This is one part of a multi-faceted strategy to stop the flow of undocumented non-nationals into Bahamian territory. New policies are now in place and there will be stricter adherence in the future to these measures to stop it.”

The new fleet of defence force vessels purchased by the Bahamas government in addition to a series of important bilateral agreements entered into with our immediate neighbours to the south - Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti - were just some of the other diplomatic and policy measures Mitchell listed as a testament to the commitment and resolve of the Bahamas government “to come to terms with vexing situations that impact our good relations. This includes accords on fishing and on migration.”

Mitchell told delegates that The Bahamas anticipates the launch of the International Decade for Peoples of African Descent to be held under the theme, “People of African Descent: Recognition, Justice and Development.” Further, The Bahamas welcomes the convening of the “Third International Conference on Financing for Development”, to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 13^th-16^th July, 2015 as he reaffirmed the important role of the UN in international tax cooperation matters.