PRESS STATEMENT 40/10

Friday 30, April 2010

We must identify priorities and marry our resources.

This was a key message heard by the Cairns Compact Peer Review team while holding consultations in Kiribati this week.

The Cairns Compact Peer Review team met with key Government officials throughout the week, as well as representatives from the donor community, NGOs and private sector.

The exercise is an initiative under the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination, endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at their summit last August. The Peer Review process seeks to assess harmonisation between the Kiribati Development Plan, associated budgeting processes and donor activity.

Chief of UNICEF Field Office and United Nations Joint Presence Office in Kiribati, Mr Yun Jong Kang, highlighted that Kiribati presents an unique set of development challenges in a complex environment.

“We continue to work towards aligning our common areas of work with the Kiribati Development Plan,” he said.

United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)’s Kiribati Projects Coordinator, Mr Ross Craven, added that development takes time, energy and clear communication.

“We all have a vested interest in the results of your findings,” Mr Craven told the Peer Reivew team. “I hope that stakeholders speak frankly and that the people of Kiribati can benefit from this exercise.”

Australia’s High Commissioner to Kiribati, HE Mr Brett Aldam, said development coordination is about working with the Government, through the Government, to deliver important development objectives.

“There is a lot to be achieved from further donor coordination – let’s harmonise and coordinate as best we can,” he said.

The Peer Review team comprised representatives from Papua New Guinea as a fellow Forum Island Country neighbour, and New Zealand as a development partner. The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat provided the team with logistical and coordination support.

Kiribati was one of the first Forum Island Countries, along with Nauru, to volunteer for the Cairns Compact Peer Review exercise. A Peer Review was carried out in Nauru last month.

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For more information, please contact the Forum Secretariat’ Communications Officer, Mue B Fisher via mob +679 9998677 or email mueb@forumsec.org.fj

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Caption: Cairns Compact Peer Review Team during consultations in Kiribati this week: (L-R) John Winter, consultant with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Rick Woodham, NZAid Programme representative and Julie Wapo, Papua New Guinea representative.

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Caption: Chief of UNICEF Field Office and UN Joint Presence Office in Kiribati, Yun Jong Kang, during consultations with the Cairns Compact Peer Review team.

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Caption: UNIFEM Country Projects Coordinator Kiribati, Ross Craven, during consultations with the Cairns Compact Peer Review team this week.

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Caption: Cairns Compact Peer Review team visits the Australian High Commission in Kiribati. L-R: Rick Woodham (NZAid Programme representative on the review team), HE Mr Brett Aldam (Australian High Commissioner to Kiribati), Julie Wapo (PNG representative on the review team) and Duncan Mc Cullough (Ag. First Secretary, Australian High Commission to Kiribati)