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New Zealand govt, SPC strengthen partnership
NOUMEA, New Caledonia—The government of New Zealand and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community have signed an agreement to support the scientific and technical organization’s continued delivery of development services to its member countries and territories over the next three years (2017-2019).
The multi-year grant funding arrangement was co-signed by New Zealand’s general consul in Noumea, Justin Fepuleai, and the SPC’s deputy director-general, Cameron Diver, at the New Zealand Consulate in Noumea. “New Zealand, as a founding member of SPC, is committed to supporting long-term sustainable development in the Pacific,” Fepuleai said.
“We are pleased to enter this next phase of our partnership with SPC, a Pacific-owned organization that works for the wellbeing of Pacific people through effective and innovative application of science and knowledge.”
Under the three-year agreement, New Zealand has committed in excess of NZD 18.5 million in funding to SPC.
This flexible funding will support SPC’s development initiatives across a number of sectors including geoscience, land resources, fisheries, aquaculture and marine ecosystems, statistics for development and public health. It also supports cooperation between Pacific Island countries through attachments for staff to improve technical capacity.
A significant innovation is the creation of an “incubator fund” to enhance collaboration between SPC and New Zealand technical and scientific agencies.
The agreement also makes available a single contribution of NZD 600,000 to support the work SPC is undertaking to strengthen its organizational and financial systems and capacity.
“We are delighted to have the support and confidence of New Zealand, to progress the work being done to accompany sustainable development in our Pacific Island member States and Territories and to support the objectives of SPC’s Strategic Plan,” Diver said.
SPC is the principal scientific and technical organization in the Pacific region, supporting sustainable development since 1947. It is an intergovernmental development organization owned and governed by its 26 country and territory members, including New Zealand. (SPC)
