The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, has returned from a four-day in-country visit to Niue.
Mr Slade was in Niue last week for the signing ceremony of the nation’s approved US$4 million Pacific Environment Facility (PEC) Fund project.
Mr Slade also took the opportunity to consult with the Premier of Niue, Honourable Toke Talagi, and various Niue Government Ministries and Departments on the Smaller Islands States Development Fund (SIS Development Fund). The SIS Development Fund was established in 1987 in recognition of the inability of the Smaller Island States to take equal advantage of regional assistance, and to provide donors with a platform to provide extra support to SIS. Members of the SIS are Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau and Tuvalu.
“My visit to Niue was an excellent opportunity to identify and reach agreement on their national priorities to be funded under the SISDF,” said Mr Slade. “Among other things, Niue identified youth employment, agriculture and capacity development and supplementation across both the private and government sectors as potential areas of support.”
Mr Slade also briefed the Premier and Government officials on the arrangements underway for the Pacific Plan Review in 2013. The Review was endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at their annual meeting held in August in the Cook Islands.
“At their Retreat on Aitutaki, Forum Leaders endorsed the Terms of Reference for the Review and agreed that it be led by Sir Mekere Morauta of Papua New Guinea, with the support of two senior officials from Forum countries and two consultants,” said Mr Slade. “The full composition of the Review team will be announced soon.” (Ends)
