A handover ceremony today saw Representative of the Trade Mission of Taiwan/Republic of China (Taiwan/ROC) to Fiji, Mr Herman T.C Chiu, present the Pacific Islands Forum with US$500,000, as part of Taiwan/ROCs annual regional assistance for 2018.
Acknowledging the contribution, Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Ms Cristelle Pratt said, “This assistance will support the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) initiative to work to build the capacity of the Forum’s Smaller Island States through short-term attachments with regional organisations.”
Through the initiative, regional organisations will host and work with the eight Smaller Islands States, exposing them to regional frameworks and partnerships and the role these frameworks play in supporting their national level outcomes.
The Smaller Island States (SIS) comprise Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu. The SIS are defined by their ‘unique and particular’ vulnerabilities, and the programme will equip and upskill as many participants as possible with the necessary knowledge and skills to assist their respective countries in addressing developmental challenges that otherwise limit their capacity to ensure resilience and long-term sustainable development aspirations.
The attachment programme is also a key outcome of the SIS Regional Strategy, adopted by Forum Leaders in 2016. The Deputy Secretary General acknowledged the long standing partnership and cooperation with Taiwan/ROC, with the Pacific Region, making special mention of the contribution to human development and capacity building support provided to the region by Taiwan/ROC. 
