Pacific Plan Consultations
Pacific Plan Consultations
3 Oct 2005 23:34:36
Forum Secretary General, Greg Urwin, says consultations on the development of the Pacific Plan will continue for years to come, given the scale of the regional initiative.
"The Pacific Islands Forum welcomes the diversity of views that we have received regarding the work on the Plan," he said, in response to criticism that more time is needed to prepare the Plan before it is considered by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders next month in Papua New Guinea.
"Some of those views have been supportive, others have been critical, but I am very encouraged that we all share a concern that the Pacific Plan be robust and relevant to our communities," he said.
Mr Urwin said the Forum Secretariat would present a first draft to the Forum meeting in late October, as it had been required to do by the 16 Forum Leaders.
"There has been an initial series of consultations with many different groups over the past 12 months, but it has always been the case that the draft Plan is a living document which will evolve over many years.
There will be, and must be, a range of further consultations into the future, as it is inevitable that the priorities of our members will evolve in future," Mr Urwin said.
"Some of the consultations will be led by the Forum and its members, and we are aware that a number of other regional and non-government organisations have taken the initiative to carry out their own discussions with their membership."
Mr Urwin also said the Pacific Plan was not designed to answer every possible shortcoming in the region, as this was neither physically nor financially possible.
"A lot of the work that is required will continue to be done at national level by member governments. It is in those areas where the governments believe they will get better value by working at a regional level, that the Pacific Plan will concentrate," he said.
Forum Secretariat, Suva
16 September 2005
3 Oct 2005 23:34:36
Forum Secretary General, Greg Urwin, says consultations on the development of the Pacific Plan will continue for years to come, given the scale of the regional initiative.
"The Pacific Islands Forum welcomes the diversity of views that we have received regarding the work on the Plan," he said, in response to criticism that more time is needed to prepare the Plan before it is considered by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders next month in Papua New Guinea.
"Some of those views have been supportive, others have been critical, but I am very encouraged that we all share a concern that the Pacific Plan be robust and relevant to our communities," he said.
Mr Urwin said the Forum Secretariat would present a first draft to the Forum meeting in late October, as it had been required to do by the 16 Forum Leaders.
"There has been an initial series of consultations with many different groups over the past 12 months, but it has always been the case that the draft Plan is a living document which will evolve over many years.
There will be, and must be, a range of further consultations into the future, as it is inevitable that the priorities of our members will evolve in future," Mr Urwin said.
"Some of the consultations will be led by the Forum and its members, and we are aware that a number of other regional and non-government organisations have taken the initiative to carry out their own discussions with their membership."
Mr Urwin also said the Pacific Plan was not designed to answer every possible shortcoming in the region, as this was neither physically nor financially possible.
"A lot of the work that is required will continue to be done at national level by member governments. It is in those areas where the governments believe they will get better value by working at a regional level, that the Pacific Plan will concentrate," he said.
Forum Secretariat, Suva
16 September 2005
