Press Release – PICS

The progress so far in the implementation of the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination will be the major item of discussion at a meeting of Pacific Island Countries and development partners which got underway in Nadi, Fiji today.PICS and development partners meeting

PRESS RELEASE (58/10)
24th June 2010

The progress so far in the implementation of the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination will be the major item of discussion at a meeting of Pacific Island Countries and development partners which got underway in Nadi, Fiji today.

The two-day meeting will discuss the deliverables under the Cairns Compact on strengthening development coordination endorsed by Forum Leaders at their annual meeting last year.

The deliverables under the Cairns Compact include a process of regular peer review of Forum Island Countries (FICs) national development plans, annual reporting on national planning processes, a development partners annual report on their efforts in support of the Cairns Compact, a report on the regions progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals and a proposed Roadmap for Strengthening Public Financial Management.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade said: “the PIC-Partners meeting play a significant role in progressing the implementation of the key deliverables under the Cairns Compact.”

“The PIC-Partners meeting provides for the most comprehensive consultation mechanism between Pacific Island countries and development partners with development assistance programmes in the region, including those that are not conferred post forum dialogue partner status,” Mr Slade said.

Mr Slade added: “The role of development partners and partner agencies in the development of the region, in collaboration with island countries, is at the heart of the Pacific Plan.”

“I strongly advocate the notion of partnership in development. Development partners must work hand in hand with the island countries. There must be clarity in the articulation of development priorities at the national and regional levels. And it is incumbent on development partners to align and harmonise their development assistance with those clearly enunciated development priorities,” said Secretary General Slade.

He emphasized that at the regional level, “the Pacific Plan remain the centre of regional development and the platform for regional cooperation and integration to support collective responses in addressing regional development priorities.”

Mr Slade explained: “The Cairns Compact may be viewed by some as a new regional initiative but it is firmly rooted in the Pacific Plan. The centrality of the Pacific Plan and national development plans or strategies are firmly acknowledged by the Cairns Compact.”

“The Cairns Compact is not new work. It is a new and smarter way of doing the same work to enhance the effective coordination of development resources which in turn will provide for development effectiveness.”

ENDS.

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