![Young representatives of the Sahalu customary landholding group, Guadalcanal Province before chupu [celebration of the handover]; Photo credit: UNDP Solomon Islands.](/sites/default/files/styles/big_carousel_featured_image/public/2022-05/SI%20story%20website.jpg?h=0d69e4fc&itok=HLcwB7_e)
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Story
21 September 2022
Beneficiaries share experiences with UN Resident Coordinator through talanoa session
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Press Release
14 September 2022
Launch of "Asia Pacific Disaster Report 2022 for ESCAP Subregions - Pathways for Adaptation and Resilience in the Pacific"
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Press Release
12 September 2022
International Day of Democracy
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth's environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in the Pacific.
Press Release
11 September 2022
International Day of Democracy
Now is the time to raise the alarm.
Now is the time to reaffirm that democracy, development, and human rights are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.
Now is the time to stand up for the democratic principles of equality, inclusion, and solidarity.
And stand with those who strive to secure the rule of law and promote the full participation in decision-making.
This year, we focus on a cornerstone of democratic societies – free, independent, and pluralistic media.
Attempts to silence journalists are growing more brazen by the day – from verbal assault to online surveillance and legal harassment – especially against women journalists.
Media workers face censorship, detention, physical violence, and even killings – often with impunity.
Such dark paths inevitably lead to instability, injustice and worse.
Without a free press, democracy cannot survive. Without freedom of expression, there is no freedom.
On Democracy Day and every day, let us join forces to secure freedom and protect the rights of all people, everywhere.
Thank you.
-- A message from the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, on International Day of Democracy.
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Publication
01 September 2022
UN Pacific 2021 Annual Results Report
There are 29 UN agencies operating out of the Pacific with heads of agencies based in the Republic of Fiji, Samoa, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Non-resident agencies include IAEA (Geneva), UN-Habitat (Fukuoka), UNIDO (Bangkok), UNOPS (PNG), and ITC (Geneva). The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) is composed of the heads of UN agencies. In the first nine months of 2021, the UN multi-country
engagement in the Pacific was led by two Resident Coordinators and a UN Country Team (UNCT) linked to two multi-country offices, operating out of Fiji and Samoa. Ten Pacific Island Countries (PICs) were
under the purview of the Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO), including Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), Palau, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and
Vanuatu. The remaining four countries and territories under the Samoa MCO are the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tokelau. As a result of the 2019 UN Multi-Country Office Review, an agreement was reached to establish a new MCO to facilitate an integrated, effective, and efficient programmatic response specifically tailored to the
needs of all countries in Micronesia. The Multi-Country Office of the UN Resident Coordinator for Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), Nauru, and Kiribati, was
formally established on 01 October 2021, following the appointment of the UN Resident Coordinator.
engagement in the Pacific was led by two Resident Coordinators and a UN Country Team (UNCT) linked to two multi-country offices, operating out of Fiji and Samoa. Ten Pacific Island Countries (PICs) were
under the purview of the Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO), including Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), Palau, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and
Vanuatu. The remaining four countries and territories under the Samoa MCO are the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tokelau. As a result of the 2019 UN Multi-Country Office Review, an agreement was reached to establish a new MCO to facilitate an integrated, effective, and efficient programmatic response specifically tailored to the
needs of all countries in Micronesia. The Multi-Country Office of the UN Resident Coordinator for Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), Nauru, and Kiribati, was
formally established on 01 October 2021, following the appointment of the UN Resident Coordinator.
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Press Release
03 May 2022
Vanuatu Government and UN host Steering Committee
The meeting was hosted by Dr. Gregoire Nimbtik, Director General, Prime Minister’s Office, and UN Resident Coordinator to Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga and Tuvalu, Sanaka Samarasinha.
Dr Nimbtik and Mr Samarasinha were joined by colleagues in government and the UN, based in Vanuatu and in Fiji.
Dr Nimbtik acknowledged the many years of joint work between Vanuatu and the UN, and welcomed the incoming blueprint for further collaboration, stating that,
“The development and implementation of the new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-27 will be an opportunity to build on this foundation, so the Government is committed to be part of this process. We look forward to engaging with the United Nations through the Joint Steering Committee mechanism to ensure our efforts continue to align with Vanuatu’s priorities as outlined in the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP) 2016-30 and other national policy objectives.”
Mr Samarasinha said the UN will continue to support Vanuatu in its response to and recovery from COVID-19, strengthening governance and rule of law, promoting sustainable economy, and the full inclusion of all, especially women and youth in development processes.
“The priority areas highlighted in our new Cooperation Framework are directly derived from our analysis of your country’s priorities and needs, and they are aligned with your national planning and budgetary frameworks. Through this new Framework, your government can expect more coordinated, responsive support, with greater transparency and more accountability for results than under our current Framework,” Mr Samarasinha said.
UN’s contribution to Vanuatu in 2022 is projected to be US$19million.
These contributions will support Vanuatu in equitable basic services, climate change, disaster resilience and environmental protection, governance and community engagement, gender equality, and Economic empowerment and Human rights.
ENDS
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Story
17 May 2022
Empowering the Vulnerable: Experts Call for Equitable Access to Climate and Disaster Risk Insurance
The financial impacts of extreme weather events in the region are driving the development of new innovative products and the formulation of national CDRFI strategies.
At this early stage, there is a call for ‘fit-for-purpose’ DRF instruments that are tailored to the Pacific’s unique set of risks, challenges and opportunities.
Not accounting for the needs of women and other vulnerable groups in these activities would represent a lost opportunity to make a meaningful impact.
The work of Programmes – such as the UN Capital Development Fund’s (UNCDF) Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme (PICAP), which is a joint programme with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) -- need to be gender equitable and inclusive of the most vulnerable and marginalized.
This was the call from a panel of gender experts during a virtual learning event on ‘Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) for Equal Access to Climate and Disaster Risk Finance in the Pacific’ on Thursday, 5 May 2022.
PICAP has developed the region’s first parametric micro-insurance product, with over 1,300 households, with predominantly small holder farmers, fishers, market vendors and social welfare recipients covered so far.
The Programme is supported by the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and Luxembourg’s Climate and Energy Fund. Additionally, the ‘Developing Climate Disaster Risk Financing Framework and Parametric Insurance in Fiji’ project is funded by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund administered by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation.
Organized by UNCDF and the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, the learning event was held on the eve of the launch of PICAP’s GESI strategy.
The panelists included:
Merewalesi Laveti – UNDP Pacific Office’s Gender Focal Point, Monitoring and Evaluation and Country Coordination Analyst
Michelle Reddy – PICAP Technical Advisory Committee member
Neiua Bulou – shop owner, farmer and holder of Fiji’s first parametric microinsurance cover
Losana Kumar – PICAP Project Officer, Cane Farmers’ Cooperative Savings and Loans Association Limited (CCSLA)
Amit Kumar Garg – Digital Payments Expert at UNCDF
Angeline Fatiaki – Senior Programme Manager, Gender Quality Programmes at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Fiji
The session was moderated by UNCDF Communications Assistant, Veima Bower
Mainstreaming GESI
Merewalesi Laveti opened the discussion with a strong call for development programmes to ensure gender equality and social inclusion were vital parts of their work, not simply an afterthought.
She stressed that vulnerable communities need to be empowered if the world is to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
She commended PICAP for tackling structural challenges that hamper women’s access to CDRFI instruments and financial services more broadly through the GESI strategy.
“It’s important to build an institutional mechanism for gender mainstreaming, such as the UNDP Pacific’s Gender Equality Seal,” Ms. Laveti added.
Inclusive Market Development Approach
It is crucial for the design and eligibility criteria of CDRFI products to be viewed through a gender equality and social inclusion lens.
If not, products that are designed to uplift communities would leave behind a crucial segment and further exacerbate their disadvantaged position, said Michelle Reddy.
“I’m so glad that PICAP adopts an inclusive market development approach, which means they make sure those vulnerable communities are included and have a say in the development of climate and disaster risk financial products,” she added.
Ms. Reddy, the former Fund Manager of the Fiji Women’s Fund, advises PICAP on funding and the design and implementation of proposals to ensure they are gender equitable and socially inclusive.
While providing an overview, she said the high rates of gender-based violence in the region and low participation of women in the formal workforce made accessing financial instruments difficult.
People living with disabilities and gender non-conforming communities are also disproportionately affected by extreme weather events because of the existing inequalities they face, Ms. Reddy added.
“The GESI strategy provides partners, funders and the PICAP team the opportunity to monitor, evaluate and hold ourselves accountable as well as learn along the process about how we can be more inclusive and gender equitable.”
Support for Small Businesses
Neiua Bulou, a shop owner, farmer and holder of a parametric micro-insurance cover, lives in a flood prone area in Vitogo in Fiji’s second largest city, Lautoka.
She shared what her family experiences when water inundates their settlement and damages their property during heavy rain, and the difficulties they face trying to re-build.
“During that time [flash flooding], we face a lot of problems. Everything is in a mess, and we don’t know where to start [again from]. In terms of assistance, government officials do come around, but it takes time,” she said.
Ms. Bulou signed up to the parametric micro-insurance scheme through UNCDF aggregator partner, the Cane Farmers’ Cooperative Savings and Loans Association Limited (CCSLA).
The product is designed to help micro-enterprise owners like Ms. Bulou build back better and faster with a quick injection of funds to cater for their immediate financial needs following an extreme weather event.
“We are so happy that we are secure. We are confident that if something happens the help is there, and it takes two or three days to reach us,” she said.
Cultural Barriers
PICAP has brought together a range of aggregator and agri-agency partners to strengthen its reach and impact, especially in difficult to access places.
One partner is CCSLA, a cane farmer cooperative in the country’s Western Division providing a range of savings and investment products for its members.
Losana Kumar, CCSLA Project Officer for PICAP, has been leading efforts to raise awareness about the parametric micro-insurance product in the cane farming regions of Lautoka and Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island.
Ms. Kumar says the development of CDRFI instruments and strategies must consider the cultural barriers that hold Pacific women back from accessing them.
Although women are seen as the backbone of the rural communities CCSLA visited, they tend to be the most affected during extreme weather events due to the sheer increase in workloads.
“A lot of women were interested, however they had to take permission from their husbands before signing up for the Programme,” Ms. Kumar said.
The GESI Strategy
Participants got a first look at PICAP’s GESI Strategy, which includes the following key objectives:
To achieve at least 50 percent gender coverage in all outreach efforts
Reduce accessibility barriers so that CDRFI products meet the needs of women, marginalized and the most vulnerable
A six step GESI assessment tool that is applied to review all partner projects
A robust monitoring mechanism to track the progress and report on GESI indicators
Amit Kumar Garg led the discussion on the strategy, for which he is the co-author with Rayane Chbeir, former Junior Professional Consultant with PICAP.
He cited a UNCDF demand study conducted in Fiji and Vanuatu, in which 94 percent of woman respondents had experienced economic losses during extreme weather events, to stress the importance of a GESI Strategy.
“Majority of the losses were immediate and near-term income loss. Similarly, the measures taken for recovery also exacerbated income loss because women were found to be selling assets, using up savings, or taking loans,” Mr. Garg said.
Gender equality, a driver of growth, development and prosperity
The final speaker, Angeline Fatiaki, stressed that gender inequality undermined global prosperity, stability, and security. She welcomed PICAP’s GESI Strategy as an important gender-responsive lens.
Ms. Fatiaki said it was crucial to address barriers and identify opportunities to enhance women’s health, economic empowerment, and safety.
“Australia continues to work with partners in the Pacific to address climate change and strengthen socio-inclusive gender responsive sustainable development in our region,” she concluded.
The panelists addressed the following questions posed by the audience (60-70 people attended the webinar):
What are two to three key areas that Programmes working on the financial empowerment and inclusion of women need to be mindful of?
What has been some key challenges in engaging women to be involved in the Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme?
You can watch the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAfignqadQU
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Story
21 September 2022
Beneficiaries share experiences with UN Resident Coordinator through talanoa session
This has become a useful tool for the UN, especially when seeking frank feedback from beneficiaries relating to the implementation of, and effectiveness of projects.
Recently, UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) Pacific facilitated a talanoa session between the UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Sanaka Samarasinha, and over 30 farmers, social welfare beneficiaries, and persons living with disabilities.
Hosted in Suva, the discussions were an important opportunity for Mr Samarasinha to hear their experiences during extreme weather events, as well as their views about climate insurance and the role it has played in helping them get back on their feet in the immediate aftermath.
One of the beneficiaries, Salaseini Koroi, said natural disasters often left them with nothing, including a lack of cash.
“Our crops have been destroyed and we have to run around [to find cash]; there’s financial problems in the family,” she shared.
“We just thought this parametric insurance should have been started a long time ago because we really need financial assistance.”
It is in direct response to the testimonies of people like Mrs Koroi and others, that the UN, through UNCDF Pacific, introduced two new parametric micro-insurance products to the Fiji market last month through its Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme (PICAP).
These new products cover heavy wind and rainfall risks and require an affordable premium of F$100 a year for a return payout of F$1,000 in the case of an extreme weather event, to be processed within two weeks of the event.
This ensures those who are most vulnerable among beneficiaries can access cash almost immediately after a disaster – something they have never been able to fall back on before.
Speaking at the talanoa session, Mr Samarasinha said inclusion is central to the work of the UN, and the honest feedback of beneficiaries results in the creation of better, more tailored products and programs which meet their needs.
“As we scale this and we think about those who are most vulnerable, most disadvantaged and most likely to be left behind because of the frequent disasters that we face in Fiji and the rest of the Pacific; disasters that you did not help to create, we need to ensure that when we say we will leave no one behind, we truly don't leave anyone behind,” he said.
“We are aware of the potential for natural disasters to push people into poverty, especially those that must wait weeks or even months for financial assistance to arrive. So, this is the message we’re sharing with farmers, fishers and other target groups: You never know when the next big disaster will strike. These products offer you a solution that gives you a sense of financial security and peace of mind knowing funds will be available should disaster hit,” he concluded.
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Story
22 August 2022
UN to Expand Support and Assistance to the Government and People of Solomon Islands
This week, the United Nations Resident Coordinator (UN RC), Sanaka Samarasinha, led a team of UN agencies to the Solomon Islands for the first time since COVID-19 forced its borders closed in 2020. The team engaged with key Government counterparts, the Parliament and development partners.
During discussions with Government, the UN Team discussed key priorities of the Solomon Islands and highlighted potential support by the UN, including in the areas of sustaining peace in Solomon Islands, achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), governance reform, better coordination, a scale-up of the UN presence and assistance in the Solomon Islands.
Other issues discussed were Least Developed Country (LDC) graduation, job creation, service delivery, especially in the provinces, as well as disaster preparedness and COVID-19 response.
During the discussion with Hon. Prime Minister, the UN reiterated its commitment to support key national priorities and discussed the strategic position of the UN as the multilateral entity supporting Solomon Islands in the short, medium, and long term.
The UN recognizes the importance of ensuring peace and stability as a prerequisite for development and SDG progress, and the UN will continue to work with national and provincial stakeholders on this important agenda.
The RC met with High Commissioners from Australia, New Zealand and UK, and Ambassadors from China and Japan, and a representative from the US and thanked them for their robust partnership with the UN.
Discussions also highlighted the need to focus on young people, ensuring development assistance supports and provides them with opportunities, including sustainable and decent jobs.
The UN will continue to ensure its work is aligned to and supports the Solomon Islands national development plan and the UN has committed to facilitating a UN Country Implementation Plan that will fully align with the national priorities.
The UN continues its support to the Solomon Islands to strengthen its vaccination rollout campaigns, given the Solomon Islands is currently lagging on vaccination rates globally. The Solomon Islands currently sits at 52% vaccination – almost 20% under its target of 70% vaccination rate by July 2022. There is concern that slow vaccination uptake will result in child vaccination rates also falling behind.
The UN offered to support the Solomon Islands to accurately measure and report on its Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
There was unanimous call from the government and partners to expand the UN’s presence and role in the country.
The UN is one of Solomon Islands’ long- standing development partners, supporting in areas such as climate action, strategic restructuring of economic sectors, health and education, social protection, gender equality, childhood protection, digital and blue economy development, food security, humanitarian aid and recovery, democratic governance, agriculture and fisheries, infrastructure, macroeconomic management, relocation of communities at risk.
UN’s contribution to Solomon Islands in 2022 is projected to be US$30m.
These contributions will support the Solomon Islands in equitable basic services, climate change, disaster resilience and environmental protection, governance and community engagement, gender equality, and Economic empowerment and Human rights.
The UN stands ready to accompany Solomon Islands in the next phase of its development journey.
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Story
31 May 2022
Where Every Voice Matters
Feelings that over 70 percent of young people worldwide say they can relate to - being misunderstood and misrepresented. Always drivers of change, today young people are taking on even more responsibility - participating in global movements, taking actions to make this world a better place. With this responsibility, they also want authority to make decisions for their future.
What does this mean for counties in the South Pacific, where half of the population is under 23, and specifically for Solomon Islands? In Solomon Islands, where village elders lead decision-making processes, Julian Asu, Bartholomew Wanega and many other young people wonder how they can contribute to these processes?
Jobs, education, and other opportunities are all stretched thin in Solomon Islands, with so many younger people competing for what is available. Some leave school to support their families or meet their own needs. Others, in search of self-realization, are enduring demotivation and frustration. Yet, young people aren't just waiting to be given a helping hand. Many are active at community, provincial and national decision-making levels.
For Julian and Bartholomew, being young and living in a rural community always meant setting an example for others to impact decisions at provincial and national levels. That is why when they saw that their provinces were among four provinces where youth caucuses were being created, they wanted to become active.
Julian, now Vice-Chair for Purepure Youth Caucus, Weather Coast, will admit that youth activism looks different in Solomon Islands than elsewhere. Rather than using technology and internet-based social media, the limited connectivity means social networking is done on foot. In another province, there was no network coverage, so facilitators and participants passed messages around.
Living in a rural community, like 80 percent of Solomon Islanders, Julian sees the support and recognition from adult leaders as a step in the right direction. In communities like hers, young people have few options with high unemployment. The four selected provinces were good places to re-start the youth caucuses. Honiara and Weather Coast in Guadalcanal, North Malaita, and Shortlands in Western Province have some of the most vulnerable young people as they come from isolated remote communities and are often left out in decisions and processes that directly impact their lives.
For young people in Solomon Islands to reach their full potential, they need to know how to navigate socially, economically, and politically. The network developed by the youth caucuses is already bringing opportunities to young people in hard-to-reach places. Just this year, over 500 young people from around Solomon Islands learned about self-sufficiency and how to mobilize their community members in trainings.
Bartholomew Michael Wanega from the Burns Creek Youth Caucus (BCYC) is one of the young leaders who participated in establishing the BCYC from the start. Like in all communities with youth, he was profiled and given a chance to vote for a leadership team democratically. Bartholomew himself was elected chairperson in Burns Creek.
He also took part in the leadership workshop within the revitalization of the Guadalcanal Provincial Youth Council, which brings youth councils’ ideas to the national level. He already sees the benefits of the youth caucuses and youth councils.
He says the project has helped young people become more self-reliant and stand alongside elders rather than be dependent on them. Bartholomew says not only the elected leaders, but all youths have seen the benefits of working with each other. The youth caucus revitalization and youth councils are just the first steps in encouraging their participation into community life. As a participant of a workshop in North Malaita points out, "If you've never been included in, or seen other people take part in the decision-making processes, how do you know it's even an option to you?"
While young people in Solomon Islands like Julian and Bartholomew may face more challenges, having a framework for engagement and participation processes will lessen the feelings of misunderstanding and misrepresentation.
Provincial Youth Councils and caucuses have initiated a change: they became a platform where young people could make their voices heard. Not only did young people play a significant role in keeping their communities informed and healthy since the COVID-19 outbreak through awareness-raising but they also were a substantial part of reconciliation initiatives. As such, young people in North Malaita united with local landholding groups to lead up the land dispute between the two communities.
Mr Brian Williams, Chief, Financing for Peacebuilding, Peacebuilding Support Office in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs said, “Young people in Solomon Islands are creating their own political space with youth caucuses, provincial youth councils, and above all, the National Youth Congress. Their ideas have a clear pathway to be transformed into policy at the national level through youth caucuses, councils, and Congress.”
By establishing 20 youth caucuses and revitalizing four provincial youth councils, the UN Development Programme is helping create a framework that supports social cohesion and peacebuilding – because young people play a crucial role in the nation-building of Solomon Island.
Enhancing youth participation in peacebuilding through the establishment of youth caucuses and revitalization of provincial youth councils were part of the Empowering Youth as Agents for Peace and Social Cohesion in the Solomon Islands Project implemented by the UN Development Programme in Solomon Islands and the International Labor Organization (ILO) with the financial support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.
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Story
30 May 2022
Empowering Landholding Groups and Building Peaceful Societies
Although original stories differ between the country's customary landholding groups and islands, a common theme is that Solomon Islanders came from within the islands themselves, not from another place. In Solomon Islands, land relates to culture, language, law, family, and identity. For many, the land is their story, as much a part of them as their DNA.
As a fundamental part of their identity and way of life, the Constitution of the Solomon Islands acknowledges the culture of customary land and allows it to be regulated by the connected customary law. It means that following island, tribal, or local custom, the land's usage is regulated by rules which can differ from group to group. Records of whom the land belongs to have been passed through oral stories from one generation to another.
Much like traditional stories have been written down for safekeeping, stories of land rights also need to be recorded. By formalizing and documenting who can use land, fairer and more sustainable development can be achieved. In the past, property rights were allocated to a limited number of trustees - often men - who could keep the profits from development projects from the wider landholding group. The situation made it difficult to distribute development benefits equitably, and often, women and young people were left at a disadvantage.
With subsistence farming feeding 75 percent of the population in Solomon Islands, many people's connection to the land is also their livelihood. This gives land stewardship an undeniable significance in the nation's traditions and its future.
Mr Brian Williams, Chief, Financing for Peacebuilding, Peacebuilding Support Office in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs says: “In many countries with indigenous populations, the land is closely tied to people's identity, culture, and traditions and is the primary source of livelihood for most women and men. To help resolve conflicts and grievances related to land distribution issues and ownership in the Solomon Islands, the UN Peacebuilding Fund piloted the land recording in selected locations, enabling the customary landholding groups to record their land rights. We are proud to be part of the first initiative of its kind in the country that is helping promote and ensure the inclusion of young people and women in their rightful and equitable access and use of land.”
Land recording has proven to be a pivotal tool for conflict resolution and peacebuilding. In 2020, the Solomon Islands Government, through the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey (MLHS), partnered with the UN Development Programme in Solomon Islands to launch the customary land recording process with an initial focus on three target provinces – Malaita, Western and Guadalcanal. Supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, MLHS completed the customary land recording process within the Inclusive Governance of Natural Resources (IGNR) Project framework, implemented by UNDP Solomon Islands and UN Women.
Customary land makes up about 85 percent of the Solomon Islands and policymakers knew that it would not be a simple process of changing existing laws or introducing new land laws. New ideas about how ownership and usage were defined within the customary land recording system also needed to be accepted by those living on the land. An inclusive approach was created together with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey’s Land Unit.
National Land Recorders, together with the UNDP team, travelled to rural communities and registered the distribution of land and resources, defined boundaries, and clarified usage agreements. As the final step, reconciliation between customary landholding groups was facilitated.
Once informed of their rights, many landholders agreed that the recording was beneficial. With subsistence farming in rural areas on customary land, land security is a step toward prosperity for many. In urban areas, individuals and businesses can also benefit financially from formalized property rights to encourage investment and the buying and selling of land.
Mr Berdi Berdiyev, UNDP Country Manager in the Solomon Islands notes that “Having land rights recorded allows the landowners to utilize the land for development benefits not just for one person or family or a group of individuals, but everyone in the communities for years to come.”
As part of the process, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey, UNDP, and UN Women hosted the Land Forum where stakeholders focused on business potential for customary lands once usage was recorded through bridging and initiating the dialogue between the customary landholding groups and a private small and medium enterprises in the country.
The land sustains and provides for the people in Solomon Islands. At the same time, people have sustained and managed the land through culture and ceremony. With the success of initiating the land recording process, the Government of Solomon Islands has committed to continuing this important endeavor, providing opportunities for Solomon islanders to maintain their oral tradition of telling the stories, while enjoying the benefits of clearly documented land usage rights.
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![Young representatives of the Sahalu customary landholding group, Guadalcanal Province before chupu [celebration of the handover]; Photo credit: UNDP Solomon Islands.](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_content/public/2022-05/SI%20story%20website.jpg?itok=zQukDXaa)
Story
16 March 2022
Tonga's devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami leaves fishing communities additionally vulnerable.
The natural disasters were a major blow to 74-year-old Fangupō Lātū, from the village of Pātangata. His fishing boat was sunk and destroyed during the tsunami, leaving him unable to make a living.
However, he is also worried about how the crisis is affecting his community. “My village’s main source of income and livelihood come from the ocean, but the waves damaged the majority of our boats” he says.
“We sold seafood daily, but now there’s none. Anyone whose boat was not destroyed no long goes fishing, due to toxicity warnings”, he adds, referring to fears associated with the ash fall that blanketed Tonga’s islands following the volcanic eruption.
Food supply concerns
Recovery and food security are the main medium and long-term challenges facing Tonga. As clean-up efforts continue, schools will reopen in Tonga but, when they do, many families will not be able to afford to pay required fees.
Given these specific needs, the United Nations teams on the ground in Tonga and Fiji are working with the Tongan Government, Ministry of Fisheries, and National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) to ensure the needs of people like Mr. Lātū are met.
The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests, are identifying how and where they can assist, to accurately address Tonga’s additional food requirements, and ensure a coordinated response.
A total of around $354,000 in funding from the Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA) has been allocated to Tonga, through the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Additionally, and in the immediate aftermath, Tonga’s National Emergency Management Committee approved funding to support a decrease in the cost of deep sea fishing permits to five Tongan pa’anga (the local currency) per kilogram (USD$2.20 per kg), for a month.
Rehabilitating aquaculture
The rehabilitation of farming aquaculture is also underway in Tonga, especially for Mokohonu (sea cucumber) and Kanahe (fish), and the Ministry of Fisheries has implemented their Immediate Response Plan until the end of this month.
This includes ensuring sufficient fish from safe sources (longline tuna and deep-water snapper fisheries) are available to the public, for consumption. The Fisheries Ministry is working closely with FAO to target priority areas for immediate support.
"We are gradually getting a clearer picture of the effects which this disaster has had on the vital fisheries and agricultural sectors on which so many Tongans depend - whether it’s in terms of damage to coral reefs or from the ash cover in parts of the islands,” notes FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Pacific, Ms. Xiangjun Yao.
“Under the One-UN approach, we are gearing up to provide support so that people can get back on their feet as quickly and safely as possible."
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Article by: Dawn Gibson / dawn.gibson@un.org
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Press Release
14 September 2022
Launch of "Asia Pacific Disaster Report 2022 for ESCAP Subregions - Pathways for Adaptation and Resilience in the Pacific"
A subregional edition of the Asia Pacific Disaster Report 2022: Pathways for Adaptation and Resilience in the Pacific has revealed that every increment of a degree between 1.5°C and 2°C translates into increased risks of tropical cyclones in the Pacific small island developing States (SIDS) with expanded geographical coverage and increasing intensity, followed by floods and droughts. These increased climate risks will have multidimensional impacts on people, their livelihoods, and the Pacific economies.
The report, which builds on the latest scientific evidence by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was launched yesterday at an event hosted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Pacific Subregional Office and the UN Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO).
This report is among the first to present resilience-based analytics and recommendations to operationalize the strategic pathways on climate change and disasters outlined in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent adopted in July 2022.
The launch event also served as a platform to better understand the needs of integrating climate change adaptation and resilience into development plans, share experiences on promoting climate change adaptation strategies, and discuss ways to strengthen regional and subregional cooperation to address climate change challenges.
At the opening, UNRC ai and UNDP Pacific Representative Levan Bouadze, remarked, “Tailored resilience-based, sub-regional analysis, like our Asia Pacific Disaster Report 2022: Pathways for Adaptation and Resilience in the Pacific that is being launched today, is exactly what the UN should be developing for Pacific Island countries.”
“Innovative tools and technologies are the critical means, from next generation risk analytics to geospatial modeling and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning,” said Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP Kaveh Zahedi. He further highlighted the Asia-Pacific Risk and Resilience Portal, launched by ESCAP last year, as a user-friendly one stop shop for policymakers to access a vast array of scientific data and information and tools to make risk informed policy decisions.
Acting Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Dr. Filimon Manoni highlighted, “Focusing on some key adaptation priorities can help build resilience in the Pacific. These include strengthening early warning systems, making water resources more resilient, making new infrastructure resilient, protecting mangroves and improving dryland agriculture crop production. These five measures will provide the highest cost-benefit ratio in terms of building resilience to tropical cyclones and other hazards.”
The event also raised the importance of an inclusive and multidimensional approach to translate transboundary hazards into risk-informed recommendations for resilience building efforts in the Pacific. The outcome of the event will provide substantive insight and key takeaways to the upcoming high-level meetings, namely the Inaugural Meeting of Pacific Ministerial responsible for Disaster Risk Management on 14-15 September 2022 in Nadi, Fiji, the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction on 19-22 September 2022 in Brisbane, Australia, and COP 27 in November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
The event was attended by member States, PIFS, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and Council of Regional Organizations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies, as well as UN system and other key stakeholders from the Pacific.
For more information: https://www.unescap.org/Launch-Asia-Pacific-Disaster-Report-2022-for-ESCAP-Sub-regions For media enquiries, please contact: ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific E: escap-pacific@un.org
This report is among the first to present resilience-based analytics and recommendations to operationalize the strategic pathways on climate change and disasters outlined in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent adopted in July 2022.
The launch event also served as a platform to better understand the needs of integrating climate change adaptation and resilience into development plans, share experiences on promoting climate change adaptation strategies, and discuss ways to strengthen regional and subregional cooperation to address climate change challenges.
At the opening, UNRC ai and UNDP Pacific Representative Levan Bouadze, remarked, “Tailored resilience-based, sub-regional analysis, like our Asia Pacific Disaster Report 2022: Pathways for Adaptation and Resilience in the Pacific that is being launched today, is exactly what the UN should be developing for Pacific Island countries.”
“Innovative tools and technologies are the critical means, from next generation risk analytics to geospatial modeling and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning,” said Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP Kaveh Zahedi. He further highlighted the Asia-Pacific Risk and Resilience Portal, launched by ESCAP last year, as a user-friendly one stop shop for policymakers to access a vast array of scientific data and information and tools to make risk informed policy decisions.
Acting Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Dr. Filimon Manoni highlighted, “Focusing on some key adaptation priorities can help build resilience in the Pacific. These include strengthening early warning systems, making water resources more resilient, making new infrastructure resilient, protecting mangroves and improving dryland agriculture crop production. These five measures will provide the highest cost-benefit ratio in terms of building resilience to tropical cyclones and other hazards.”
The event also raised the importance of an inclusive and multidimensional approach to translate transboundary hazards into risk-informed recommendations for resilience building efforts in the Pacific. The outcome of the event will provide substantive insight and key takeaways to the upcoming high-level meetings, namely the Inaugural Meeting of Pacific Ministerial responsible for Disaster Risk Management on 14-15 September 2022 in Nadi, Fiji, the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction on 19-22 September 2022 in Brisbane, Australia, and COP 27 in November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
The event was attended by member States, PIFS, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and Council of Regional Organizations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies, as well as UN system and other key stakeholders from the Pacific.
For more information: https://www.unescap.org/Launch-Asia-Pacific-Disaster-Report-2022-for-ESCAP-Sub-regions For media enquiries, please contact: ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific E: escap-pacific@un.org
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Press Release
21 August 2022
Vanuatu takes a step forward to elevate accessible and inclusive education for all children
This month, the Vanuatu Ministry of Education and Training joined key stakeholders to kick off the first national consultations in the lead-up to the United Nations (UN) Transforming Education Summit (TES) in New York n September. These national dialogues aim to mobilize political ambition and solidarity to transform education nationally and take stock of pandemic-related learning losses.
Director General of the Ministry of Education and Training, Bergman’s Iati stated, “The Transforming Education Summit provides an opportunity to mobilize greater political ambition, commitment, and action to reverse the slide on SDG 4 on quality education, re-imagine education, and accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda broadly”.
“It’s a moment to pause and imagine what we want the Vanuatu education system to look like in 10 years, and what we want a student leaving school to know and be ready to do,” Director General Iati added. “Priorities and recommendations from the national consultation would be useful to reframe existing strategies and shape focus to accelerate progress”.
The Ministry is facilitating this dialogue with the community to agree on priority actions to further leverage education in the country. Leading up to these consultations, a youth consultation was jointly hosted by Vanuatu’s Ministry of Youth Development and Sports and Ministry of Education and Training, the outcomes of which also fed into these consultations.
In Vanuatu, about 66 per cent of children and young people in Year 6 achieved at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, while 88 per cent achieved minimum proficiency in mathematics.
“The UN recognizes that education is a human right and a necessity for the creation of peace, tolerance, and sustainable development. That’s why these consultations are important – they will result in the voices of people from Vanuatu being included in global plans for strengthened education systems. TES ensures that the voices and needs of everyone is heard, not just some, in order to meet this human right, and many others,” said UN Resident Coordinator to Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu, Sanaka Samarasinha.
With COVID-19, around 100,000 Vanuatu school children lost at least 232 hours each of in-person learning between 7 March 2022, and when schools re-opened. While efforts were made in Vanuatu to provide school children with access to remote learning, the shift has been associated with a learning loss, especially for those who are marginalized and vulnerable.
“Children have already lost over an estimated 23 million hours of in-person learning during the pandemic. We need to not only get back on track but transform education to ensure every child in Vanuatu is able to claim their right to quality education,” said UNICEF Vanuatu Field Office OIC, Brecht Mommen. “UNICEF is pleased to be working with the Ministry of Education and Training, as well as our partners, in this community dialogue process that will guide how systems, services and programmes can better respond to the needs of children in Vanuatu.”
The outcome of the consultation will be a National Statement of Commitment outlining Vanuatu’s plans to transform education and accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4. This Statement will be submitted to the Transforming Education Summit.
“The national consultation is an excellent opportunity to rethink what is important for Vanuatu’s social, economic and political development”, states Nisha, Director of the UNESCO Office for the Pacific States and Representative. “The future of education and its relevance to young people is in preparing for new labour market realities and learning environments, that will narrow inequalities, and create informed and tolerant societies where diversity is celebrated”.
The national consultation on transforming education in Vanuatu is led by the Vanuatu Ministry of Education and Training, supported by the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, UNICEF, and UNESCO.
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Notes to Editors:
To download photos and digital assets: https://bit.ly/3zuBCyo
U-Report Poll
In addition to this face-to-face consultation, there is also a poll being implemented through U-Report that is open to the public to share their views. The online questionnaire is open, and the public is encouraged to use this platform to share their opinions on education transformation. To participate, send the word “EDUCATION” to 150 in a SMS or connect on messenger through this link: http://m.me/ureportvanuatu The Ministry of Education and Training seeks genuine views from all stakeholders and particularly encourages students at all levels to participate in the consultations.
About the Vanuatu Ministry of Education and Training:
The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) is responsible for delivering the education aspects of the SDGs and international agreements, such as, Education for All and respect for the rights of children. This includes Vanuatu Government's commitment to achieving universal primary completion, improving literacy, and to developing skills for the productive sectors. It is focused on three strategic goals related to access, quality, and management. For more information go to: https://moet.gov.vu or https://web.facebook.com/moetvanuatu
About RCO:
UN multi-country engagement in the Pacific is led by three Resident Coordinators and a Joint UN Country Team linked across three regional hubs, operating regionally out of Fiji, Micronesia, and Samoa. There are five Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) under the leadership of the Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) including Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
About UNICEF:
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF Pacific and its work for children, follow UNICEF Pacific on Twitter and Facebook
About UNESCO:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has 195 Members and 8 Associate Members, has more than 50 field offices around the world and its headquarters are in Paris. UNESCO’s mission is to contribute to the building of a culture of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication, and information. For more information about UNESCO Pacific and its work, follow UNESCO Pacific on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.
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Press Release
22 August 2022
Transforming Education Summit - Fiji Consultations
This week, the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts (MEHA) will join stakeholders and partners to convene the first national dialogue on ‘transforming education’.
Being held across the Pacific countries, these national dialogues preface the United Nations (UN) Transforming Education Summit (TES), which will take place in September 2022, convened by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, during the 77th UN General Assembly in New York.
Aimed at mobilizing political ambition and solidarity to truly transform education and take stock of pandemic-related learning losses, this national dialogue is the crucial first step that will ensure Fijian voices are heard at a global level, and result in educational transformations at the national level through policy changes and aligned UN system plans.
“Transforming education and ensuring that all children receive the best learning is at the heart of the Ministry,” said Permanent Secretary for Education, Heritage and Arts, Dr. Anjeela Jokhan. “This national consultation gives us the very opportunity to continue our efforts to improve the access and quality of education in Fiji, especially as every voice counts, particularly of young people themselves.”
Due to COVID-19, over 200,000 Fijian school children lost over approximately 1,050 hours each of in-person learning since April last year. While great efforts were made to provide school children with access to remote learning, the shift has been associated with a learning loss, especially for those who are marginalized and vulnerable.
UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Sanaka Samarasinha, said urgent transformations in education policy are needed to ensure words were put into action for the future of Fiji, and that the UN’s new incoming Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework will align itself to Fiji’s national development plans.
“We’re excited to be working with the Fijian Government and stakeholders in the lead-up to the TES. It’s a good reminder that solidarity is a key ingredient in change - that by working together, we can support our children to participate in meaningful lives through accessible, inclusive education. Political ambition, policy change and alignment is necessary – it’s the only way to get Fiji back on track to achieving SDG 4,” Mr. Samarasinha said.
“UNICEF is pleased to be working with the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts, as well as our partners, in this community dialogue process that will guide how systems, services and programmes can better provide for children in Fiji,” he added.
This national consultation aims to redress this balance and ensure that all children can continuously access inclusive and quality learning in the country. The outcome of the consultation will be a National Statement of Commitment outlining Fiji’s plans to transform education and accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4. This Statement will be submitted for the Transforming Education Summit in New York.
“Education needs a new social contract, stakeholders’ joint action and economic commitment. Fiji is at the cusp of development where prioritization of the role of knowledge and lifelong learning is critical for its sustainable future,” said Director of UNESCO Office for the Pacific, Nisha.
Accessible and inclusive quality education is a core commitment for Fiji. The Ministry is facilitating this dialogue approach with the community to agree on priority actions to further leverage education in the country.
The national consultation on transforming education in Fiji is led by MEHA and supported by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, UNICEF and UNESCO.
Online Questionnaire:
In addition to the face-to-face consultation, there is also an online questionnaire that is open to the general public to share their views. The online questionnaire is open from 1 to 8 August and the general public is encouraged to use this platform to share their opinions on education transformation.
The Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts seeks genuine views from all stakeholders and particularly encourages students at all levels to participate in the consultations.
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Press Release
28 June 2022
Fijian MSMEs celebrated on International Day
To mark the occasion, the United Nations (UN) joined colleagues from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and partners from the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) to host a mini ‘market day’ in front of Kadavu House in Suva.
The market provided a free space for Fijian MSMEs to sell food and products, including jewellery, crafts, fabric, sulus, and many more items, to members of the public and staff who work inside the Kadavu House building.
Globally, MSMEs account for 90% of businesses, 60 to 70% of employment, and 50% of GDP worldwide.
Acting UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Levan Bouadze, said the importance of MSMEs cannot be understated.
“MSMEs form a crucial contribution to national economies, and they help to sustain livelihoods, especially among women, vulnerable groups, young people, and the poor. Many of them are emerging from extremely difficult situations following COVID-19 and we hope events like this one give them an opportunity to grow their businesses,” Mr Bouadze said.
Matin Karimli, Director ILO Office for Pacific Island Countries, said “Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are responsible for 70% of all jobs worldwide. In the Pacific, ILO continues to work with social partners on support programmes for MSMEs to drive inclusive economic recovery, environmental sustainability, and decent job creation.”
FCEF CEO, Kameli Batiweti, added: “Do not despise humble beginnings. When we remember where we started from, it becomes a strong motivation for MSMEs to strive for greatness. The FCEF since 2013 has been committed towards empowering MSMEs in both the formal and informal sector through training and capacity building training. Opportunities like the market day initiated by our UN partners are welcome by the Federation as these help our members showcase their products to potential markets.”
The UN encourages policymakers to move past recovery and consider ways to lower and eliminate barriers faced by MSMEs, improve the business environment, and access to finance, markets, and technology.
Today is an important reminder to support and empower local MSMEs and unlock their full potential through inspiring innovation, creativity, and decent work for all so no one is left behind.
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ENDS
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Press Release
01 June 2022
UN Multi-Country Offices in Fiji, FSM & Samoa conclude Development Partner consultations on incoming Cooperation Framework
Participants from the three offices in Fiji, Micronesia, and Samoa were joined by partners and colleagues from the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
The incoming Cooperation Framework forms a blueprint for the work of the UN across 14 Pacific Island countries over the next five years (2023-2027), and consultations with partners, donors, CROP agencies, CSOs and other key partners, is crucial to ensuring inclusivity, meaningfulness and relevance in the work of the UN for the next five years.
It also guides the process of supporting Pacific Island nations to achieve their sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030.
These consultations with development partners gave both parties the opportunity to discuss progress, areas requiring improvement, and opportunities for greater collaboration between the UN system and their donors and partners.
Sanaka Samarasinha, UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, said “this is the first time our Cooperation Framework is being drafted in the Pacific following the very significant reforms the UN Secretary General and Member States embarked on a few years back.
“Two weeks ago, the UN Secretary General … reported that 95% of governments in countries where we have programmes, said UN Country Teams (UNCTs) are more integrated and collaborative. That’s up from 80% in 2019, and much higher than years prior to that.”
Echoing his remarks, UN Resident Coordinator to Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tokelau, Simona Marinescu, added that:
“The UN reform greatly benefitted from the significant voluntary contributions that development partners made through the Special Purpose Trust Fund, the Joint SDG Fund, the COVID-19 Multi-Partner Trust Fund and other vertical instruments that were established to support more integrated programming. Aligning development financing with the principles of the Funding Compact is a prerequisite for better use of resources in the Pacific, particularly at this time when reliance on ODA is the highest among the Pacific SIDS.”
Jaap van Hierden, UN Resident Coordinator to Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru and Kiribati, added that, in order to achieve the SDGs in the Pacific, transformative change through strong partnerships is a necessity.
“We are confident that these consultations are the beginning of an ongoing and regular dialogue with and between all development partners and stakeholders, throughout the implementation of the Cooperation Framework, both at the regional and local levels.”
In total, for 2022, UN support to the three UN offices across the Pacific hovers around US$241m in the following areas:
climate change
disaster resilience and environmental protection
basic services (health, education and water and sanitation hygiene (WASH)
governance and community engagement
gender equality
economic empowerment, and
human rights.
ENDS
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