News and Announcements

PIFS supported the establishment of the new ‘Resilient Development Financing Division’ within the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in Tonga. This is a result of a joint initiative with the Government of Tonga, Pacific Resilience Program, the DFAT/GIZ Climate Finance Readiness in the Pacific (CFRP) Project, and UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji through the Governance for Resilience (Gov4Res) Programme. Technical assistance provided to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MFED) to support strengthening of the Treasury Division and the National Economic Planning Office (NEPO) functions. 

 

Summary of organization’s priorities/mandate/core areas of engagement on matters related to capacity-building e.g., technical assistance/support, grants, secondment, staff training, e-learning/courses, assessments, etc

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s role in climate change and disaster risk management and resilience building is related to coordination, high level political advocacy and provision of policy support to Forum Island Countries to improve their access to, and management of, climate change and disaster risk finance as well as integrating risk governance into development. Its role in this area complements the key roles of other Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) such as the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Pacific Community (SPC), the University of the South Pacific (USP) and other international and regional partners including national stakeholders.  

In the first quarter of 2020, PIFS worked with the Government of Tonga to establish the Resilient Development Financing Division within the Ministry of Finance.

In the second quarter of 2020, technical assistance was provided to the Treasury Division of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MFED) in Kiribati to support government’s efforts to improve and strengthen the financial management capabilities of the Treasury Division and built capacity of its staff on the new Manual. In addition, technical assistance was provided to the National Economic Planning Office (NEPO) to support MFED’s effort in strengthening and improving NEPO’s responsibilities with the preparation and formulation of the national budget in accordance with the legal parameters and standards of the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Framework. Capacity building of staff is part of this specific support to the NEPO.  

Technical assistance to support the national private sector mapping for Solomon Islands started in February and was completed in April 2020. This work involved direct consultations with the private sector in Honiara, Solomon Islands to determine their needs relating to climate financing and the creation of a database of the private sector against relevant accredited entities including concepts for the private sector for possible financing.

 

Capacity-building activities during the last quarter 1 January – 31 March 2020

Activity 1: Strengthening Central Agency Leadership Capacity for Resilient Development

Strengthening risk governance and the role of central agencies through the establishment of the ‘Resilient Development Financing Division’ within the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in Tonga was a result of a joint initiative with the Government of Tonga, Pacific Resilience Program, the DFAT/GIZ Climate Finance Readiness in the Pacific (CFRP) Project, and UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji through the Governance for Resilience (Gov4Res) Programme. The establishment of the RDFD is the first part of a staged approach to strengthen the Ministry’s leadership capacity to support achievement of the national resilient development agenda. 

 

Activity 2: Technical assistance to review Kiribati Treasury Division’s functions

The DFAT/GIZ CFRP Project supported MFED in transforming the Treasury Division by consolidating treasury operational functionalities into a manual that systematically articulate the process and roles from financial flows to oversight management. Training of key government staff is currently underway as part of the socialization efforts of the Manual to a larger audience within the government machinery and external stakeholders including the private sector. This endeavor links to the expected revamping of the accounting codes and installation of the new financial management system to boost the readiness capabilities of the government in meeting climate finance accreditation fiduciary requirements, particularly the Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund. Read more here

 

Activity 3: Technical assistance to strengthen and improve Kiribati NEPO’s responsibilities  

The CFRP Project supported MFED’s effort in improving the linkage of development planning priorities to the budget formulation and in accordance with the country’s economic welfares, legal parameters and standards under the PEFA Framework. This will strengthen fiscal discipline and address the current rigidity in the system to effectively response to a changed environment nationally and globally. This technical support is currently in progress with more progressive results can be highlighted in the next bulletin. Read more here

 

Activity 4: Technical assistance to map-out private sector activities related to climate change mitigation and adaptation in Solomon Islands

The national private sector mapping for Solomon Islands involved direct consultations with the private sector to determine their needs that relate to climate financing and mapping out private sector’s work that is relevant to climate change adaptation and mitigation. The information from the mapping led to the creation of a database of the private sector against relevant accredited entities and the formulation of two concept notes for private sector project proposals. This work was coordinated by PIFS with the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), which is also the Green Climate Fund’s National Designated Authority (NDA). Read more on the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat here and on the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce & Industry here

 

Publications

Strengthening central agency leadership capacity for resilient development

Workshop and consultations between Government central agencies including the MoF, National Planning Division of the Prime Minister’s Office and other agencies.

Date: February 2020

Author: Ministry of Finance, Tonga

 

Solomon Islands private sector strengthen climate resilience

Chairman of the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board, Mr Jay Bartlett addressing national stakeholders in Honiara. Read more here

Date: July 2020

Author: PIFS, SICCI

 

Upcoming events

National private sector mapping for Tonga

Date: June – August 2020

Type: Workshop and consultations

Venue: Nukualofa, Tonga

PIFS through the EU PACRES Project will support the private sector mapping for Tonga to strengthen private sector engagement with the public sector and to provide guidance for its members about financing opportunities for adaptation and mitigation activities. The mapping will help address some challenges such as lack of information and data sources related to climate change and will involve direct consultations with the private sector to determine their needs that relate to climate financing, mapping out the private sector’s work that is relevant to climate change adaptation and mitigation, creating a database of the private sector against relevant accredited entities and to develop a full concept proposal for the private sector for possible financing. Read more here

More information on the Forum Secretariat available here