PRESS STATEMENT 03/07
26th January 2007


The Government of the Peoples Republic of China today released US$400,000 to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat towards the development of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), as well as air and sea transport services within the region.

“The Forum is grateful for the commitment by China during the 2005 Post Forum Dialogue in Papua New Guinea to provide additional funds of US$2 million for the period 2006 to 2010 at the rate of US$400,000 per year for cooperation projects under the Pacific Plan,” Greg Urwin, Secretary General of the Forum says.

This grant comes under the China-Forum Cooperation Fund set up in 1999 to encourage bilateral cooperation to promote trade, investment, tourism, personnel exchange and training as well as to facilitate the establishment of the Pacific Islands Forum Trade Office in Beijing.

“The assistance will go some way towards the implementation of the Forum Leaders’ decision to develop ICT access in the region as well as address the issues of air and sea transportation between the island nations of the region,” Mr Urwin said.

The funding will go towards the following three projects:

• Integrated port development under the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC’s) Regional Maritime Programme;

• Regional aviation initiatives (PASO, Pacific Aviation Safety Office and PIASA, Pacific Islands Air Services Agreement) and the implementation of the Principles on Regional Transport Services under the Forum Secretariat; and

• Support for Rural and Remote ICT Access Technologies and Application in Pacific Island Countries.