Minister Darcy PIC/Partners Opening
Minister Darcy PIC/Partners Opening
5 Jul 2006 19:02:38 OPENING REMARKS BY HON. GORDON LILO DARCY MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC PLANNING
SOLOMON ISLANDS GOVERNMENT
PIC/Development Partners Meeting
Honiara, Solomon Islands
6 July 2006
Honourable Ministers, Senior Government Officials, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Welcome and thank you to all participants for taking time to attend the PIC/Partners in Honiara.
I would like to use the opportunity to share some thoughts on the importance of developing and nurturing real partnerships, between donors and development partners on one hand and the Pacific Islands governments and peoples on the other.
There is plenty of scope for mutual support and sharing and cooperation with our development partners, which of course is the main reason for holding the PIC/Partners meeting in the first place. In their new vision for the Pacific, Forum Leaders spoke of the notion of partnership, with & neighbours and beyond, to develop & knowledge & improve communications, and to ensure a sustainable economic existence for all.
The agenda for the meeting provides for discussion on Pacific Aid Effectiveness Principles. I simply want to say that the underlying principles of donor harmonization as agreed to in Rome in 2003 and Paris Declaration in 2005 are consistent with the notion of these Pacific Principles.
- a recognition of the primacy of national ownership and the importance of a government led process to reduce transaction costs,'tied aid' and other burdens associated with donor management. Such improvements can only be achieved of course through commitment from both development partners and countries.
- Many Pacific Island countries have either developed or are in the process of developing national strategies with identified priority areas. Development partners need to consider supporting the implementation of these strategies to ease some of the aid management burdens placed on countries.
The discussion which is to take on Aid Effectiveness in the Pacific really needs to shift from one of dialogue to one of commitment by both Partners and recipients. We have over the years considered several studies on Aid Effectiveness, each drawing the same conclusions and highlighting the same issues. These now require us, at this meeting, to increase the stakes when talking about effectiveness. We need to make a commitment to the changes required of us. We must consider a mechanism of monitoring implementation of these 'Pacific Aid Effectiveness Principles'. This meeting should provide us with enough direction on how best to proceed and, ultimately, improve aid effectiveness.
There may be other issues, which Members and Development Partners, wish to highlight and we hope these will be raised during the course of the meting. The important thing is to have an honest discussion and that we all go away with a realistic conviction that we or our employers and constituencies have actually benefited from our coming together. I'm sure they will. Thank you and best wishes for a successful meeting.
5 Jul 2006 19:02:38 OPENING REMARKS BY HON. GORDON LILO DARCY MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC PLANNING
SOLOMON ISLANDS GOVERNMENT
PIC/Development Partners Meeting
Honiara, Solomon Islands
6 July 2006
Honourable Ministers, Senior Government Officials, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Welcome and thank you to all participants for taking time to attend the PIC/Partners in Honiara.
I would like to use the opportunity to share some thoughts on the importance of developing and nurturing real partnerships, between donors and development partners on one hand and the Pacific Islands governments and peoples on the other.
There is plenty of scope for mutual support and sharing and cooperation with our development partners, which of course is the main reason for holding the PIC/Partners meeting in the first place. In their new vision for the Pacific, Forum Leaders spoke of the notion of partnership, with & neighbours and beyond, to develop & knowledge & improve communications, and to ensure a sustainable economic existence for all.
The agenda for the meeting provides for discussion on Pacific Aid Effectiveness Principles. I simply want to say that the underlying principles of donor harmonization as agreed to in Rome in 2003 and Paris Declaration in 2005 are consistent with the notion of these Pacific Principles.
- a recognition of the primacy of national ownership and the importance of a government led process to reduce transaction costs,'tied aid' and other burdens associated with donor management. Such improvements can only be achieved of course through commitment from both development partners and countries.
- Many Pacific Island countries have either developed or are in the process of developing national strategies with identified priority areas. Development partners need to consider supporting the implementation of these strategies to ease some of the aid management burdens placed on countries.
The discussion which is to take on Aid Effectiveness in the Pacific really needs to shift from one of dialogue to one of commitment by both Partners and recipients. We have over the years considered several studies on Aid Effectiveness, each drawing the same conclusions and highlighting the same issues. These now require us, at this meeting, to increase the stakes when talking about effectiveness. We need to make a commitment to the changes required of us. We must consider a mechanism of monitoring implementation of these 'Pacific Aid Effectiveness Principles'. This meeting should provide us with enough direction on how best to proceed and, ultimately, improve aid effectiveness.
There may be other issues, which Members and Development Partners, wish to highlight and we hope these will be raised during the course of the meting. The important thing is to have an honest discussion and that we all go away with a realistic conviction that we or our employers and constituencies have actually benefited from our coming together. I'm sure they will. Thank you and best wishes for a successful meeting.
