Tuvalu learns from Forum Compact peer review report

Funafuti, Tuvalu- The government of Tuvalu says it has learnt a lot from the peer review conducted on its planning, financial and aid coordination processes under the Forum Compact last year. Speaking at the Tuvalu and Donors Meeting in Funafuti on 23rd April, the Tuvalu Permanent Secretary of Finance and Economic Development, Minute Taupo said through the introduction of the peer review process, “we have learnt how we could dialogue effectively with our development partners and how to be more effective in coordinating the aid flows into the country.” “As we continue to implement the recommendations of the peer review, our systems of coordinating and monitoring aid assistance, the linking of our budget to our national strategic plan the Te Kakeega II and controlling visits of donor missions stand to greatly improve,” Mr Taupo said. After the Tuvalu Peer Review was approved by the government in Funafuti last July, the draft of an aid policy has been produced and is being consulted on locally, there has been three high level policy dialogue meetings with the donor partners after the last one in 2008, an Aid Management Adviser has been appointed, staff in the Aid Management Unit has doubled and the country’s national development plan, the Te Kakeenga II has been reviewed. The findings and recommendations of the Tuvalu Peer Review were presented by the Forum Secretariat at the Te Kakeega II mid-term review in October 2011 and the meeting adopted and integrated the Tuvalu peer review report recommendations into the revised TKII 2005- 2015. “If we work together, then we will achieve a great deal,” Mr Taupo told Tuvalu’s traditional development partners who attended the recently conducted high level dialogue on the country’s Policy Reform Matrix for Budget Support towards strengthening the country’s financial position, public administration and overall policy framework. A team from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is in Funafuti from 19 – 26 April to record progress by the government of Tuvalu and its development partners in implementing the Tuvalu Peer Review Report recommendations and to find out what further assistance the government needs to effectively implement key peer review recommendations. The Tuvalu Peer Review was conducted at the invitation of the government of Tuvalu in April 2011 by officials from Tonga, Vanuatu, the UNESCAP with assistance of the Forum Secretariat. ENDS. For media enquiries contact Mr Johnson Honimae, the Forum Secretariat’s Media officer on email: johnsonh@forumsec.org.fj