Four Financing Agreements amounting to EUR 50 million / FJD 124 million were signed at the Pacific Regional Steering Committee on February 9th. The agreements will seek to promote sustainable waste management, adapt climate change plans, and improve public financial management and governance in the Pacific region.
The European Union (EU) Director Pierre Amilhat responsible for development cooperation with Asia, Central Asia, Middle East/Gulf and the Pacific, signed three financing agreements with the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum and Regional Authorising Officer (RAO), Dame Meg Taylor, and one financing agreement with the Tuvalu National Authorising Officer, Mr Iona Talavai.
”The signature of these programmes reinforces once again the excellent partnership between the European Union and the Pacific. The EU has been continuously scaling up funds available for green investments in the Pacific region and across the globe” said Director Amilhat.
“The signing of these three Financing Agreements marks another step in the process of implementing the 11th EDF Pacific Regional Indicative Programme (PRIP). The People of the Pacific appreciate the cooperation and support provided by the EU, which will contribute to implementing the Forum Leaders ‘Pacific Roadmap for Sustainable Development’ endorsed in 2017,” said Dame Meg.
The Pacific–European Union Waste Management Programme will provide EUR 17 million / FJD 43 million to manage waste in the region. This will help the Pacific region to address issues relating to health and well-being, marine litter and biodiversity conservation. It will be implemented in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) with other key regional partner agencies.
Under the Global Climate Change Alliance Plus – Scaling-up Pacific Adaptation programme (GCCA+ SUPA), the EU will allocate EUR 15 million / FJD 37 million to help the region adapt its plans and strategies towards climate change.
The programme of Strengthening Public Financial Management (PFM) and Governance in the Pacific will improve governance and strengthen national finance systems in the region. It will strengthen the economic, social, environmental and overall governance performance of Pacific island countries. The EU will contribute EUR 11 million / FJD 27 million to this programme.
A specific allocation for Tuvalu of EUR 6.8 million/ FJD 17 million for the Sustainable Waste Management Programme, will be provided through a sector budget support and performance contract for the implementation of Tuvalu’s Integrated Waste Policy, and seek to address and reduce environment degradation from solid and liquid waste.
The three regional programmes and one national programme amounting to almost EUR 50 million underline the EU’s strong commitment to the Pacific region as well as reinforcing the strong cooperation between the two regions.
Original source: ForumSec
Published on 9 February 2018
