A speech by Vanuatu's Prime Minister marking independence has identified poverty as a major obstacle for his country.
Joe Natuman addressed a large crowd at Port Vila's Independence Park yesterday, as Vanuatu celebrated the 34th anniversary of independence from Britain and France.
Joe Natuman has called for the revival of the original vision of the country's founding fathers.
This includes promoting Vanuatu's custom and cultural heritage, protecting its sovereignty and becoming self-reliant as a people.
Mr Natuman's speech was clear that the country is yet to fully achieve some of those aims.
He says in his view the major common enemies are poverty and corruption, which feed off eachother.
He told the crowd it must be Vanuatu's goal to remove these obstacles in order to meet its biggest challenges such as establishing access to better education, health care, clean water supply and income-generating opportunity for all ni-Vanuatu.
