Delivered by Zarak Khan, Director of Programmes and Initiatives, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
At the Certificate Awards Ceremony for Climate Resilience for Sustainability I&II Courses
23 November 2023
Excellencies
Distinguished representatives of the Delegation of the European Union to the Pacific
Distinguished members of the private sector
Our partners from the CROP agencies
Course participants
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning, bula vinaka and a very warm welcome to you all. It is a real honour to share with you the achievements of our participants from across the region. It has not been an easy journey for our participants understanding the competing priorities as well as connectivity issues. This certificate presentation is therefore a significant milestone for all involved, particularly our course participants from the private sector and youth.
Allow me to acknowledge all those present today who have taken time to join us both in-person and virtually, our partners and course participants. I would also like to acknowledge our course participants who are not able to join us today, but nonetheless are part of this achievement.
And it is a significant achievement as I am told that the success rate was 100%, with participants from across thirteen (13) of our Pacific[1] Islands and Territories, completing 2 courses spreading over a 12-week period that began in February of this year. We received over 350 applications, with 110 applicants selected successfully and completing the requirements for an award. I am also pleased to note that 55% of the successful applicants were women. A hearty congratulations once again to everyone who participated in this training, and for your hard work and dedication.
This ‘Climate Resilience for Business Sustainability Training’ was a direct outcome of a survey that eleven (11) national private sector organisations (NPSOs) participated in and informed the development of this specific and targeted programme to build the capacity of entrepreneurs and the private sector in climate change and resilience.
We can all agree that the private sector plays a key role in our development aspirations. We are also aware of the unique challenges and circumstances our private sector face in trying to mitigate the impacts of climate change and disasters. With this training, I hope it has assisted you and equipped you with a better understanding of how you can navigate your businesses through such challenges. Not only that, but we also hope it can contribute towards more innovative ways of doing business that you can share with the public sector towards shaping and informing national policies and plans.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the Implementation Plan for the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent was recently endorsed by Leaders early this month. There is an opportunity for the private sector to actively engage and support the roll-out of the Plan in the coming months. It is my sincere hope that with this training, you can all, through your individual enterprises and sectors, actively contribute to our Leaders’ aspirations to transform our region. Through partnership with the private sector, we can collectively achieve the goals and outcomes of the Implementation Plan for the 2050 Strategy.
This capacity training is one tangible example of PACRES support to supporting more effective engagement of the private sector in our resilience efforts. Other examples include increased awareness and appreciation of the private sector in Solomon Islands that has led to increased engagement of the private sector by the government in climate change and resilience. Similarly, the findings of the national private sector mapping in Tonga helped in developing a grant proposal for the Green Climate Fund Readiness Support for the Tonga Chamber of Commerce.
There is also an increased effort by development partners to engage the private sector to mobilise green investment, promote green private sector development and harness skills and knowledge for addressing climate change in developing countries.
To ensure that this training continues beyond the life of the project, I am also pleased to announce that we are working on converting these training materials to online modules that can be available and accessible for anyone who wishes to take up this course in the future for at least the next three (3) years.
Please allow me to acknowledge with sincere gratitude, the assistance of the European Union through the Intra-African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Global Climate Change Alliance+ (GCCA+) Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience Building program or PACRES, without which this capacity building programme would not have been possible.
I also acknowledge the support and assistance of the University of the South Pacific through Pacific Technical and Further Education (TAFE) in successfully delivering these courses.
My appreciation as well to the course participants who will be receiving their certificates and will be imparting their knowledge and sharing their skills with other entrepreneurs and members of the private sector.
I thank everyone again for making the effort to be present today and I wish you a wonderful remainder of the day.
Thank you, vinaka vakalevu, dhanyavaad.
[ENDS]
[1] Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
