Michael Taurakoto is an Australia Awards alumnus whose work resonates with the ethos of United Nations Day. Celebrated annually on October 24, United Nations Day offers the opportunity to reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter now in its 78th year. Michael graduated with a Master of Business from the University of Queensland in 2017 and is the Country Coordination Officer at the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, Fiji Multi-Country Office, which is responsible for Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
As the Country Coordination Officer, Michael supports the Government of Vanuatu with any requests for coordination of UN System and other development partners’ assistance. Michael also assists in the preparation and engagement of UN platforms such as the Vanuatu Government’s Voluntary National Review (VNR) which was presented at the High-Level Political Forum in New York in July 2024.
With the extensive support the UN Development System provides to Vanuatu, Michael is responsible for facilitating the monitoring and reporting. This final component is conducted through a joint steering committee made up of UN and Vanuatu Government officials which oversees the implementation of the UN Pacific Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, 2023-27 and Vanuatu Country Implementation Plan 2023-25 in Vanuatu.
The purpose of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security, protect human rights, deliver humanitarian aid, support sustainable development and climate action. This is extremely evident within the landscape of Vanuatu, as Michael explains ‘there are over 20 UN agencies and entities currently delivering development and humanitarian support to Vanuatu and 13 other Pacific Island countries and territories. Nine of these UN agencies and entities have a physical presence in Vanuatu and are working on a day-to-day basis with Government, Civil Society, Private Sector and other stakeholders in areas such as: health, education, environment, climate change, financial inclusion, local markets, agriculture and food security; displacement and migration; employment; electoral reform; civil registry and identity management; national data and statistics; resilience, social protection and renewable energy, to name a few‘.
Underpinning UN Development System initiatives are the three key principles of: human rights, leave no one behind, and gender equality and women’s empowerment. In alignment with these principles, Vanuatu presented its fourth national report to the working group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Human Rights Council in May, 2024. One of the recommendations from this process is for Vanuatu to establish a National Human Rights Institution.
Michael believes this is an important initiative which will support Vanuatu to meet its international human rights obligations and provide advice as the country negotiates the interface of international human rights standards in the context of societal and cultural norms and practices.
The Vanuatu Government is also taking a proactive and leading role in various global initiatives, most notably climate justice and seeking an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice on the obligations of states in respect to climate change. This is a key area that the UN Development System will continue to support Vanuatu and other small island development states in.
Michael’s ‘never stop learning’ attitude is what he believes will promote the growth of knowledge, experience and qualifications to support the development of Vanuatu in whatever sector you end up in. He encourages people to apply for Australia Awards scholarships, adding ‘the career and life benefits from the qualification and experience of tertiary study are beyond measure‘.