PACIFIC PLAN 2012 - Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

PACIFIC PLAN 2012
ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT

Contents
Secretary General’s Introduction 2
Foreword 4
Progress of the Pacific Plan 4
Key Achievements Over 2011 to 2012 6
Fostering economic development and promoting
opportunities for broad-based growth
Improving livelihoods and the well-being of Pacific peoples
Addressing the impacts of climate change
Achieving stronger national development through better governance
Ensuring improved social, political and legal conditions for
stability, safety, and security
Pacific Plan and the Post-2015 Development Agenda 17
Engaging with Non-State Actors 19
Pacific Plan Staff 20
Looking Ahead 20

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Secretary General’s
Introduction
At the recent 43rd Pacific Islands Forum held in the Cook Islands, Leaders endorsed arrangements
for the review of the Pacific Plan in 2013. The review will be a milestone event in the experience
of the Pacific Plan and will be an opportunity of considerable importance in determining the
course of Pacific regionalism for the future. As a ‘living document’, it is essential that the Pacific
Plan is up-to-date and true in its reflection of the aspirations and expectations of Pacific communities
and that it is able to provide effective guidance and support to the endeavours for regional
cooperation and integration. Significant changes have occurred to the regional and global
development agenda since the adoption of the Pacific Plan in Madang in 2005 and in all aspects
these will need to be addressed when assessing the Plan in the currency of its implementation and
performance and in the directions for the years ahead.
The outcomes of the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development will,
without question, have a central place in the Plan review and assessments. Pacific countries were
well represented in Rio and, on the whole, I believe key Pacific messages have been captured and
reflected in the outcomes of Rio+20 and “The Future We Want” document. The ‘special case’ for
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) for sustainable development and the environment has been
globally acknowledged since the first Rio Conference on the Environment and Development
(UNCED) in 1992. The reaffirmation at Rio+20 of the special case for SIDS, twenty years later,
is of particular importance in highlighting the special exposure and vulnerabilities which continue
to pose serious challenges to all SIDS communities. Similarly, the Rio+20 outcomes provide
considerable prominence to issues relating to the oceans and fisheries, in the context of sustainable
development and in a manner directly relevant and applicable to the Pacific countries and region.
The range of global issues covered in the Rio process provide pertinent background against which
to reflect on the region’s endeavour with the Pacific Plan and progress made in seeking to achieve
its vision and aims, and with the practical programmes for implementing its priorities. While
necessarily focused on actions at the national and regional level, the ultimate results of sustainable
development efforts in the Pacific are conditioned by and involve significant engagements with
the wider international community, in particular with the region’s development partners. In that
sense and because it is the master regional strategy, the Pacific Plan lies at the heart of long-term
sustainability for the region and for all Pacific communities. The Plan is the signal of the Pacific’s
seriousness and determination to work together as a region to achieve meaningful and sustainable
development outcomes for all Pacific peoples. The need for accuracy in determining development
priorities provides a natural basis for regional cooperation and consensus building among member
countries and, of particular importance, a rallying point for the region’s professional

and implementation services from all Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific and, with
effective coordination and alignment, from all development partners.
It is inherent in the nature of the Pacific Plan that it remains true to its forward-looking dimension,
and to seek always to do better. The region can, and it must. The challenges of growth and
development in the 21st Century are complex and difficult, and will require determined and
collective efforts to deliver effective and sustainable outcomes for the benefit of all Pacific
communities. Reviewing the Pacific Plan and ensuring that it remains relevant and appropriate
for the region is a key part of its in-built strategy. We in the Secretariat look forward to the outcomes
of the discussions and consultations which will take place across the region in the coming months
of the Pacific Plan review and what we expect to be productive responses from Member countries
and their communities on their expectations of the Plan and its workings as an effective instrument
for Pacific regionalism and for the future of regional cooperation and integration.
Tuiloma Neroni Slade
Secretary General
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Foreword
This report provides an update on implementation of the Pacific Plan priorities over the period
May 2011 to May 2012. It is based on progress reports from selected Members of the Pacific
Islands Forum and Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies. It also
discusses the role of the Pacific Plan in the global processes of the post-2015 global development
agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Detailed reporting on the Pacific Plan priorities is available in the companion annex to this Annual
Progress Report.
Progress of the Pacific Plan
The Pacific Plan, which was endorsed by Leaders in Madang in 2005, is the master strategy for
strengthening regional cooperation and integration. The Plan was reviewed and updated with a
set of guiding priorities in 2009, to assist in its implementation and ensure its ongoing relevance.
As a living document, the Plan has continued to provide a framework for aligning and coordinating
the work of CROP agencies.
This Annual Progress Report is structured around the five priority themes endorsed by the Leaders
in 2009: (a) fostering economic development and promoting opportunities for broad-based growth;
(b) improving livelihoods and the well-being of Pacific peoples; (c) addressing the impacts of
climate change; (d) achieving stronger national development through better governance; (e)
ensuring improved social, political, and legal conditions for stability, safety, and security.
This report summarises progress against these themes over the last year and highlights issues
regarding the strategic directions of the Pacific Plan, including the proposed review in 2013,
applications of the post-2015 global development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals,
and engagement with non-state actors.
The past 12 months have seen a number of achievements across a range of sectors in support of
the objectives of the Pacific Plan. These have included:
a. Pacific Islands Forum Leaders issuing the Waiheke Declaration on Sustainable Economic
Development at their annual meeting, held in Auckland in September 2011. Leaders
emphasised the importance of fisheries, tourism, and agriculture as productive sectors with
the greatest potential in the Pacific, as well as the importance of transport, infrastructure,
education, and energy sectors to enable growth.
b. Executives of CROP agencies strengthened the technical capacity of the Sub-Committee
on Climate Change by establishing an officials’ Working Arm on Climate Change. This
will improve coordination of climate change efforts amongst agencies. A major study on
options for climate change financing was completed and presented to Leaders and Forum
Economic Ministers in July 2011.
c. Securing funding to implement the Pacific Oceanscape Framework, which envisages action
at both the national and regional levels to protect and manage the region’s oceans. The
Pacific also successfully advocated for global recognition of the importance of oceans as a
key outcome of Rio+20 Conference.

d. Implementation of the Pacific Education Development Framework to improve the quality
and relevance of education across the region.
e. Implementation of the Forum Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination in
the Pacific, including peer reviewing the Republic of the Marshall Islands in early-2012 and
holding follow-up visits to Nauru and Kiribati. Peer reviews were recognised internationally
at the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan in November 2011 as
an innovative approach to improving country-level policy and systems.
While there have been notable achievements under the Pacific Plan over the last 12 months,
significant challenges still face the region. Achieving sustainable economic growth as outlined in
the Waiheke Declaration will be difficult for all Pacific island countries given the current global
downturn. This places significant strain on the financial and fiscal capacity of governments in the
region to deliver effective and affordable services to their people. They must also make tough
decisions on allocation of very limited resources to address major economic and social trends -
including an alarming rise in non-communicable disease and its impact on productive labour; and
the growing number of young people who remain unemployed and without the skills to participate
in the productive sector. In the medium to longer-term, this situation could be exacerbated by
declining aid flows if the economic crisis in Europe significantly affects Asian markets.
The renewed focus on sustainable development also highlights the region’s heavy dependence on
petroleum and exposure to oil price fluctuations. This makes transport and electricity provision
more expensive, and also has flow-on effects for other sectors that rely on electricity for effective
service provision, including Information and Communications Technology (ICT), water supply
and wastewater, and education and health services. Attempts to address this dependence, for
example through the bulk purchase of petroleum, have demonstrated the technical difficulties
faced by the Pacific. Addressing difficulties such as the different grades of petrol in use across the
region, the range of storage facilities, and multiple contracting arrangements will require a longterm
approach.
Pacific island countries are also bearing the brunt of the impact of climate change. The tidal surges
that are engulfing atoll nations such as Kiribati and Tuvalu are having an immediate impact on
their livelihoods. The drought that hit Tuvalu in September-October 2011 clearly demonstrated
that even small variations in annual rain-fall patterns can have a devastating impact on vulnerable
Pacific island countries. Climate change will continue to impact on all aspects of Pacific life - the
health of the oceans and the availability of fish in the sea, changing patterns of agricultural
production and access to water, and increasing sea levels. The region will continue to raise its
collective voice with the international community to ensure that its views are heard. But it will
also need the support and funding of the international community to find ways to adapt to the
impacts of climate change.
The wide-spread nature of the challenges facing the Pacific region reinforces the importance of
integration and cooperation. The Pacific Plan remains a strategic driver of the aspirations of the
nations of the Pacific to work closer together for the benefit of their people. It continues to help
shape a regional voice at the international level on a range of issues, including climate change and
sustainable development; and to define the priorities of Forum island countries in their partnership
with CROP agencies and development partners. The proposed review of the Pacific Plan in 2013
will be a key opportunity to ensure that the Plan remains relevant to the people that it serves.
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Key Achievements Over 2011 to 2012
Fostering economic development and promoting opportunities
for broad-based growth
As in past years, sustaining economic growth across the region continued to be a high priority
under the Pacific Plan in 2011-12. This priority was emphasised and elaborated through the
Waiheke Declaration made by Forum Leaders in Auckland in September 2011. In the period since
the issuing of the Declaration, notable progress has been made in implementing projects in key
focal areas for economic development, including those relating to energy security, transport safety,
tourism, trade, and fisheries. The recent Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) in Kiribati
in July 2012 affirmed the Waiheke Declaration’s ongoing importance as a guiding document for
implementing economic growth priorities under the Pacific Plan. The Ministers proposed a special
Working Group on the Waiheke Declaration, comprising technical agencies be established at the
regional level to progress discussion, coordination, policy advocacy, and implementation of relevant
actions; and to report back to the annual FEMM.
In the area of energy security, a notable achievement has been the Secretariat of the Pacific
Community’s (SPC) completion of baseline energy security indicators for all the Forum island
countries, with country energy profiles to be published in the second half of 2012. The continued
assessment of these profiles, using the agreed indicators, is important for tracking energy security
initiatives. Some progress has also been made with renewable energy development. At present,
only Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu have significant shares of renewable energy in the total electricity
supply (60%, 37%, and 15%, respectively). In the coming years, the share of renewables in other
countries is expected to increase modestly as a result of substantial project investments currently
underway, such as: the Northern Pacific Renewable Energy and Efficiency Project, the Pacific
Environment Community Fund, and the Pacific Islands Greenhouse Gas Abatement through
Renewable Energy Project. Although the overall share of renewables will likely remain small for
some time, work by CROP agencies continues to build a foundation for medium and long-term
renewable energy development.
More effective reductions in fossil fuel use may be achieved through efficiency gains, which CROP
agencies are working to support. To help develop well-targeted plans for improving efficiency in
utilities, the International Renewable Energy Agency, working with the Pacific Power Association
(PPA), has initiated a grid stability assessment for the Pacific island grids to determine how much
renewable energy generation they can absorb. In addition, PPA has conducted performance
benchmarking and energy efficiency studies to help track performance across its Member utilities.
As areas for efficiency improvement are identified, significant investment at the national level will
be required. Meanwhile, to help improve efficiency at the user-level, Fast Start Finance of AU$3
million has been secured through Australia’s Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
for a three year Pacific Appliance Labelling and Standards project. It is expected that this initiative
will help consumers and businesses to identify more efficient appliances, enabling them to decrease
their energy expenditure.
CROP agencies have also been working to better understand and address a bigger energy-related
economic constraint: the heavy reliance on petroleum products in the transport sector. Across the
region, approximately 1.3 billion litres of fossil fuels are imported annually at a total cost of US$873
million. Of this total, 16 percent is used in electricity generation; much more is used for transport.
Recognising the importance of petroleum use beyond the electricity sector, the SPC recently held
a regional workshop on petroleum pricing, noting the need for legislation to regulate supply

security to control price, standards, safety, and quality; and the regional benefits of harmonisation
and transparency in petroleum pricing arrangements and practices. SPC is also working with key
international and regional stakeholders to encourage the development and use of viable alternative
means of propulsion for shipping in a post-carbon economy.
In other areas of the transport sector, CROP agencies have focused on helping to improve the
safety, reliability, and accessibility of the maritime and aviation services that are essential for regional
trade, travel, and tourism. SPC has continued work to ensure that countries around the region
comply with international and regional maritime conventions, and has provided particular support
to Member countries that have sadly experienced recent ferry disasters. Search and rescue workshops
have been hosted, in collaboration with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, International
Maritime Organization, Maritime New Zealand, and the United States Coast Guard; and a
Memorandum has been signed to help address the risk of a mass rescue situation - of particular
importance in light of the growing number of cruise ships visits to the region, which contribute
to tourism growth.
In aviation, the Pacific Aviation Safety Office has been recognised for its success in ensuring regional
compliance with international safety standards, and is receiving World Bank support to expand
and refocus its efforts through the Pacific Aviation Investment Project for regulatory oversight
activities. SPC and the Association of South Pacific Airlines, collaborating under a Memorandum
of Understanding signed in May 2012, are considering the concept of a regional airline. One option
is to call for competitive tenders, either individually or collectively, for the provision of air services
on selected intra-regional routes. This would be much simpler and less expensive than previous
regional proposals, and would bring in similar benefits to the airlines and or governments that do
not wish to own their aircrafts. It could also help with the promotion of tourism in areas where
limited airline schedules are currently a constraint.
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Tourism remained a key driver of economic growth in the Pacific region and was recognised by
Leaders’ last year in the Waiheke Declaration as one of the key productive sectors. It is the main
stay for income generation in a number of Forum island countries, with some estimates suggesting
that total revenue from tourism flows to the region will account for some US$2 billion from 2010
onwards. The South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) led efforts to improve access to the
region, including through training and awareness raising workshops for travel agents in Europe
and China through its ‘South Pacific Specialists Programme’. A joint online campaign with Pacific
Trade & Invest and Lonely Planet featured 16 Pacific island destinations and their unique
characteristics. SPTO also developed niche profiles for Pacific island countries, covering diverse
activities such as fishing, diving, surfing, weddings, and festivals. Over 400 students graduated
from the Australia-Pacific Technical College in tourism and hospitality, supporting professional
staff development in the sector. Increasing cruise line operations was also a focus, with the New
Zealand Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) implementing a five-year programme
to improve domestic shipping facilities and safety in Vanuatu. SPTO participated in the 2012
Seatrade Cruise Convention in Miami to strengthen industry networks with key cruise line
operators; and prepared a cruise shipping market intelligence report to inform members of emerging
opportunities. The SPTO also commenced implementation of the Pacific Regional Tourism
Capacity Building Programme (PRTCBP) 2012-2014, funded under the 10th European
Development Fund (EDF) to enhance the growth and sustainable development of the region’s
tourism sector.
The past year has seen significant work undertaken on trade issues. At their 2012 meeting, Forum
Trade Ministers expressed support for New Caledonia’s efforts to accede to Pacific Island Countries
Trade Agreement (PICTA)- the regional free trade agreement that has been signed by all but two
Forum island countries. The PICTA currently covers trade in goods only, but negotiations on
trade in services are close to concluding with a target set for late 2012. This is expected to
significantly expand trading opportunities over the coming years. However, proposed Temporary
Movement of Natural Persons clauses of trade enabling labour-related migration remain contentious,
and in August 2011 Forum island countries agreed to defer negotiations on this area until after
other services arrangements had been finalised. Issues related to labour mobility will also continue
to be discussed as part of ongoing negotiations on PACER-Plus, along with five other priority
areas: rules of origin, customs procedures, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical regulations,
standards and conformity assessment procedures, and development assistance.
Over 2011-12 there has also been a strong focus on preparations for the next joint negotiating
session on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Commission. Eight
Pacific states of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) grouping have submitted draft market
access offers to the European Commission, and four more are close to submission. Although there
have been no formal negotiating sessions with the European Commission since 2009, Pacific
officials have managed to secure informal meetings to help continue discussions, and further
progress is expected in late 2012. A key focus for the Pacific will be on securing favourable rules
of origin for fresh, chilled, and frozen fish, to help support fisheries sector development in the
region.
At their meeting in Auckland in 2011, Leaders’ highlighted the importance of fisheries to the
long-term sustainable development of the region. Through the Waiheke Declaration, Leaders
acknowledged the importance to the region of maximising the economic benefits from fisheries
to support sustainable economic development. They also recognised the valuable contribution of
coastal fisheries and aquaculture to food security and economic development. In support of these
directions, and reflecting the importance of tuna, the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the SPC
jointly supported Members to actively contribute to the formulation of conservation and
management measures at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)

meeting held in March 2012. This included hosting workshops to review WCPFC bigeye and
yellowfin tuna measures and supporting national capacity to prepare and report their annual tuna
catch. SPC implemented the Pacific Tuna Tagging Programme, with tagging cruises completed
in Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, and adjacent waters. At the end of May 2012, 357,000 tuna had
been tagged and 51,850 tags had been recovered. Data from this programme was used in the 2011
stock assessments. The Papua New Guinea tagging project is currently the main component of
this ongoing programme.
FFA and SPC also work together to provide assistance to a number of sub-regional fisheries
groupings, including the Parties to Nauru Agreement, the Te Vaka Moana Arrangement, and the
Melanesian Spearhead Group Fisheries Technical Committee. Several achievements have resulted
from such collaborative efforts, including a recent amendment to the implementation of the Nauru
Agreement to extend fishing prohibitions to high seas areas and to prohibit setting on whale sharks,
the vessel day scheme for the purse seine fishery, and a similar scheme proposed for the tropical
longline fishery. In 2011-12, Parties to the Nauru Agreement applied a minimum benchmark price
for fishing access of US$5,000 per day, which is about double what members had previously
obtained from foreign fishing vessels. This demonstrated the benefits of maintaining effective
collective resolve.
FFA and SPC also guided Pacific Island Parties to the Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries with the
United States of America. Following the revocation of Papua New Guinea’s instrument of withdrawal
from the Multilateral Treaty, in February 2011 the United States significantly increased its funding
in the 2012-13 agreement year from US$21 million to US$45 million. In June 2012, the United
States and the Pacific Island Parties reached agreement in principle on a fishing fee payment of
US$63 million for 8,300 fishing days, about the current level of fishing effort. Negotiations with
the United States are continuing towards an extended Treaty satisfying the interests of all parties,
which would commence in July 2013.
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Work continued to support investment and market development related to fisheries. FFA
implemented the Regional Economic Integration in Fisheries project and led collaborative
arrangements to establish national tuna industries and accelerate tangible fisheries-related
development projects with the Governments of Tonga, Vanuatu, Niue, Nauru, Kiribati, Tuvalu,
Solomon Islands, Samoa and the Federated States of Micronesia. The FFA is also working with
several members to improve their capacity to export seafood, including European Union (EU)
market access requirements for food safety, competent authority certification, and EU illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing certification.
In 2011-12, SPC completed a major study on the opportunities for mariculture (seawater aquaculture)
in the region, as well as two national aquaculture development plans. Risk assessments for the
aquaculture of new species have been completed for three projects, and a range of technical support
provided. Currently a number of private sector partners are being selected to receive direct assistance
to promote aquaculture for export and import substitution.
Improving livelihoods and the well-being of Pacific peoples
Education remained a key focus for improving the livelihoods and well-being of Pacific peoples,
with progress made in implementing the Pacific Education Development Framework (PEDF).
The PEDF identifies key priorities in sub-sectors of education and training and in a number of
cross-cutting themes, and it brings together priorities identified in international commitments
(such as the Millennium Development Goals and the Education for All goals) and in national
education sector strategic frameworks. The PEDF also addresses the special needs of Small Island
States, which have been prioritised in the Pacific Plan. Under the PEDF, CROP agencies are
involved in implementing a wide range of education-related initiatives. Notable amongst these have
been collaborative efforts between the University of the South Pacific (USP) and SPC to roll out
a regional Technical and Vocational Education and Training Framework for the Pacific, and develop
a draft ICT in Education Regional Framework. Both Frameworks are important for guiding
ongoing investment in training to facilitate job-readiness and modernise education content and
delivery. In addition, the SPC has coordinated the Regional Qualifications Framework, aimed at
increasing regional harmonisation in the measurement of educational attainment to better enable
people to measure their educational progress using up-to-date standards and have their qualifications
recognised internationally.
Young people around the region are being supported through a recently initiated Framework for
Youth Development in the Pacific, which SPC has been developing in response to Leaders’
commitment to support youth and, in particular, address youth employment. This work is being
undertaken in close collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Pacific Centre, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Labour Organization
(ILO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Pacific Youth Council, the Commonwealth
Youth Programme, the Pacific Leadership Programme and the Oceania Football Confederation.
Funded by the Government of Australia, the Framework is intended to inform national efforts to
address current and future challenges in youth development, while providing guidance and direction
on regional cooperation efforts to advance youth development in the context of social and economic
development in the Pacific region. Over the coming year, the first phase of the Framework will be
rolled out and it will be presented to Pacific Youth Ministers at the Commonwealth Youth Ministers
Meeting in Port Moresby in November 2012.

Complementing work on the Framework, a Pacific Youth Employment Strategy (Pacific YES) is
being developed by ILO in collaboration with SPC, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, and the
broader Pacific Youth Framework Steering Committee. Over the coming months, the ILO will
undertake further consultations with Pacific island governments, youth and other stakeholders to
progress the strategy.
The importance of gender equality to sustainable development in the region was also recognised
by Leaders’ at their meeting in Auckland in 2011. Leaders agreed to intensify efforts to promote
women’s equal role in decision-making at all levels, and to continue to improve advocacy for
women’s leadership. This high level leadership is critical to addressing the significant and complex
issues around gender equality in the Pacific. The 2011 Pacific Regional Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs Tracking Report) highlighted mixed success on achieving MDG 3 to promote
gender equality and empower women - four countries remained off track, with the performance
of Tonga and Vanuatu having deteriorated over the survey period. Only the Cook Islands, Niue,
and Palau were on track to achieve their goals, with Cook Islands and Palau both improving their
performance. Progress in empowering women, as measured by the share of women in the nonagricultural
sector and seats held by women in national parliaments, has been slow across the
region. In contrast, gains are being made on achieving gender parity in education and in Fiji there
are today more women in higher education than men.
In July 2011, the SPC convened the Fourth Pacific Women’s Ministerial Meeting in Nadi, Fiji.
Ministers recognised the need for on-going capacity building and awareness of gender equality at
all levels of government, including parliament. They also noted the important role of the private
sector in advancing the role of women in the economy. Importantly, Ministers noted that ratification
and endorsement of a number of gender commitments at the international, regional and national
levels had not led to the integration of these commitments in national and regional planning
processes and urged renewed efforts by governments and development partners to address this.
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Practical support was provided by the Forum Secretariat and UNDP, funded by the Government
of Australia, to improve women’s participation in political life by running a series of workshops
in Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Palau. These workshops aimed to improve
women’s understanding of parliamentary processes and how they can engage. A number of Forum
island countries have also considered temporary special measures to reserve seats for women in
parliament, with bills being tabled in the Federated States of Micronesia in 2009 and in Papua
New Guinea in 2011. In late 2011, the Prime Minister of Samoa, the Hon. Tuila’epa Lupesoliai
Sailele Malielegaoi, announced that Samoa would be developing legislation to introduce a ten
percent quota for women in the national parliament.
Substantial work has been undertaken over the past 12 months to implement the Pacific Regional
Strategy on Disability. This has included the development of national policies in four Forum
island countries, with the remainder planned to be supported over the next three years. Training
has been provided on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Papua
New Guinea and Samoa, in preparation of their signing and ratifying the convention. The Strategy
describes a comprehensive program of work to support long-term processes of change in disability
inclusive development in Member countries, and also includes provision for a monitoring and
evaluation framework to support tracking of key activities. A key outcome of the strategy has been
to strengthen regional partnerships to address the rights of people living with disabilities, including
between the Forum Secretariat and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia
and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the Pacific Disability Forum, World Health Organisation, Motivation
Australia, the Nossal Institute, UNICEF, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), SPC, USP, Christian Blind Mission Australia, and the Australian
Government.
Support was provided in the area of human rights over 2011-12. The Universal Periodic Review
is a cooperative process to review the human rights records of every UN Member state. The second
round of reporting under the same process began in May 2012. The Forum Secretariat, in close
collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR) and SPC’s Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT), completed the first Universal
Periodic Review training in Tonga in February 2012. This training assisted the Government of
Tonga to understand the new modalities and approach for the second round of reporting.
Addressing the impacts of climate change
Climate Change continues to be a major focus for the region, with all CROP agencies involved,
to some extent, in climate change programmes and initiatives. In line with the CROP joint statement
on “Collaborating to Support Effective Response to Climate Change”, each agency has focused
on different work areas, with coordination through the CROP Executives Sub-Committee on
Climate Change and the Working Arm on Climate Change. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional
Environment Programme (SPREP) has taken a lead role, particularly in the area of climate change
negotiations, where it has provided technical support to Pacific island countries in developing their
formal commitments for greenhouse gas reduction. The region has taken a strong position on
actively tackling all climate pollutants and applying stringent climate warming targets. Renewable
energy projects will partially assist in meeting these mitigation commitments, with a primary focus
on reducing reliance on fossil fuels at both the household use and national generation levels which
will have both environmental and economic benefits. However, given the difficulty of mitigation

and the inevitability of some degree of climate change, considerable effort is going into developing
policies and planning processes that support climate change adaptation, as well as implementing
adaptation projects on the ground.
One of the major projects in this area - the US$13 million Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change
programme - was recognised by the 2011 Pacific Climate Change Roundtable as providing a
framework for future adaptation work and development cooperation in the region. Particular
successes have come through its ability to influence policy (for instance, through the project’s
support, four countries have approved Joint National Action Plans on Climate Change and Disaster
Risk Management over the past year), its cross-sectoral approach (including projects to improve
roads and water security), and the way it has fostered close collaboration between development
partners and CROP agencies (leading to additional contributions of AU$7.3 million from the
Australian Government and US$2 million from the United States Agency for International
Development over the past year). Further national-level climate change adaptation is being supported
through projects such as the Government of Australia’s International Climate Change Adaptation
Initiative (incorporating the Pacific Climate Change Science Programme, the Pacific Adaptation
Strategy Assistance Programme, and the 2012 Pacific-Australia Climate Change Science and
Adaptation Program), the Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Island Region project
supported by the Government of Germany, and other Australian Government supported programmes
run by SPC, SPREP and the USP.
Despite the numerous achievements of these and other major projects, responding to climate
change is still a significant challenge for most Pacific island countries. In the area of adaptation,
key difficulties lie in extending initiatives to the level of sustained, “whole of country” approaches,
and in coordinating the work of different agencies. Promisingly, some of the necessary expansion
work could potentially be undertaken with the help of new climate financing emerging from recent
United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change negotiations. However, although
these financing developments provide a great opportunity, they also create new demands for
capacity to fully access and manage funds, and to ensure they translate into tangible results.
Anticipating these demands, last year Smaller Island State Leaders called for financing capacity
support. In response, a coordinated approach is now being taken by key stakeholders (CROP
agencies, ADB, World Bank) to progress the development of a Regional Technical Support
Mechanism and associated rapid response fund. US$10 million in funding for its development
has been endorsed recently through the Climate Investment Fund managed by the World Bank.
In addition, three national pilots have been approved for a total Pacific indicative allocation of
approximately US$75 million. Complementing this and other work in the area of climate financing,
other capacity building initiatives are also being supported, including through direct technical
assistance, supplementary staff appointments, workshops, basic technical training, advanced tertiary
training (including new courses on offer at USP), scholarships, and support in data collation and
analysis. Going forward, it will be important to strengthen links between similar capacity building
projects, and encourage more integrated approaches to building skills across affected sectors.
Calls to Leaders within the Pacific region to support continued and effective responses to climate
change, with a focus on achieving tangible outcomes, have been echoed in broader global messages
urging strengthened commitment to sustainable development goals. The recent Rio +20 Conference
drew a particular focus to key issues currently being tackled under Pacific climate change initiatives
such as reducing disaster risk and building resilience, and supporting food security and sustainable
development. Significantly for the region, it also highlighted the importance of oceans. The Pacific
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region took a leading role in discussions on oceans, headed by the Pacific region’s first Ocean
Commissioner, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade.
The Commissioner has been technically supported by the Marine Sector Working Group.
The Marine Sector Working Group has also been devoting attention to secure funding to strengthen
regional, multi-sectoral work under the Pacific Oceanscape Framework, which envisages action
at both the national and regional levels. At the national level, the framework has provided a vehicle
to coordinate and bring together major ocean conservation initiatives, notably the declaration of
large Marine Protected Areas and sanctuaries for iconic marine species - more of which are expected
to be formalised in the coming months. At the regional level, much work is already being done
under the mandates of different CROP agencies, but there are significant gaps requiring funding
and support. To address this, over the past year the Marine Sector Working Group has been
pursuing funding through the Global Partnership for Oceans, and has been identifying priorities
for financial support committed by the Australian Government. These include fisheries support,
support to coastal communities, improved marine geo-spatial planning, the formalisation of
maritime boundaries, and the establishment of a small support unit for the Ocean Commissioner
and Marine Sector Working Group, all of which are planned for implementation over the coming
year.
In the support of deep sea mineral exploration, the Applied Geoscience and Technology Division
of SPC convened two regional workshops, held stakeholder consultations in ten Pacific island
countries, and widely distributed brochures on deep sea minerals. It also organised and funded a
number of capacity building initiatives for Pacific island nationals, including on-vessel training.
A draft Regional Legislative Regulatory Framework for deep sea mineral exploration and exploitation
was finalised in June 2012 with the support of the fifteen Pacific ACP States. The Framework will
form the basis for the development of national policies and legislation to regulate deep seabed
mining, emphasising the need to assess and manage its potential impacts and benefits through the

application of sound legislative and policy approaches. A comprehensive technical review is
underway on the state of knowledge on the three main deep sea mineral resource types in the
Pacific region. This review covers broad aspects of deep sea mining issues and is being compiled
by leading experts from around the globe and overseen by GRID-Arendal under the United Nations
Environment Programme.
Achieving stronger national development through better
governance
A major focus in 2011-12 was supporting Forum island countries and development partners’ efforts
to further strengthen development coordination through implementation of the Cairns Compact
on Strengthening Development Coordination in the Pacific (Forum Compact). This included
implementation of peer reviews, which have been recognised internationally as an innovative
approach to analysing and strengthening government policy and systems. In 2011-12, the peer
review of the Republic of the Marshall Islands was completed, and follow-up visits to support
implementation of earlier peer reviews were completed in Nauru, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Niue. Peer
reviews to be held in the second-half of 2012 include Tonga (August), Papua New Guinea (October)
and the Federated States of Micronesia (November). Using the skills and experience of the region,
the peer review process has helped Forum island countries to learn from each other and identify
concrete and practical steps to improve development coordination. Key reports covering achievement
of the MDGs and the effectiveness of development coordination in the Pacific were also prepared
over the last 12 months. The 2012 MDG Tracking Report highlighted that overall the Pacific
region remained off-track to reduce poverty, and emphasised the importance of Forum island
countries and development partners remaining focused on implementation of the MDGs heading
towards 2015. The 2012 Tracking the Effectiveness of Development Efforts Report noted the
significant progress made, and highlighted challenges and proposed priority actions over the next
18 months.
The Forum Compact processes also supported the implementation of the Public Financial
Management roadmap for the region, which aims to strengthen public financial management
systems of Forum island countries and encourage greater use of these systems by development
partners. Over the reporting period, Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability assessments
were undertaken in the Cook Islands, Niue, Tuvalu, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the
Federated States of Micronesia with the support of the Pacific Financial Technical Assistance
Centre and a range of development partners.
Over the past 12 months, evidence from implementation of the Forum Compact has shown that
Forum island countries are exerting stronger leadership and strategically directing development
partners to coordinate their assistance around national priorities. A number of positive trends were
observed, including that Forum island countries are investing in improving their national planning
and monitoring frameworks and links to budgets, and that they are, with support from their
development partners, also addressing capacity issues in aid management. In addition, Forum island
countries are holding more regular government and development partner policy dialogues, have
developed aid policies to better guide engagement with their development partners, and are
engaging in more regular Forum island country-led policy dialogue around a single policy matrix
aimed to facilitate coordinated development partner assistance, especially for budget support.
Policy dialogues are concentrating around economic, public sector, State Owned Enterprise and
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public financial management reforms. Some Forum island countries are managing missions through
developing aid policies, mission protocols, requesting forward mission schedules from their
development partners, and requesting joint missions where appropriate. Forum island countries
and their development partners continue to demonstrate strong commitment to strengthening
public financial management systems at country level. Five Forum island countries completed
Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability assessments in 2011-12 and four Forum island
countries developed and have begun to implement Public Financial Management Programmes in
2011.
Some development partners have significantly improved efforts to coordinate policy advice,
technical assistance, funding support and missions with other partners. Australia, ADB, EU, World
Bank, New Zealand, and the Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre are working jointly in
the areas of economic, public financial management and policy reform matrices - an approach to
be encouraged in other sectors.
The information generated by two years of implementing the Forum Compact was central to
efforts by the Pacific region to influence the global debate on development effectiveness, including
at the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan in November 2011. With the
exception of two member countries, all Forum member countries were represented at the Busan
High Level Forum, including six Ministers of Finance. For the first time, the Pacific was included
in the agenda for the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness with interventions by Australia,
Cook Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa and Tuvalu on behalf of the Pacific. The Forum Compact,
as a regional platform for development effectiveness and the peer review process, was of particular
interest to delegates. The Pacific region, represented by Samoa, will continue to shape governance
and monitoring arrangements for global development effectiveness through the post-Busan
processes.
Generating accurate statistics to support policy making was also a key priority for better governance
over 2011-12. The Government of Australia provided AU$4 million to support the Pacific Ten-
Year Statistics Strategy being implemented by the SPC, Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the
Partnerships in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century. This has supported: technical
assistance and training for Pacific island countries to implement and evaluate census and household
surveys; development of a database of minimum national development indicators to track progress;
and six Pacific island countries preparing national statistical strategies.
Ensuring improved social, political, and legal conditions for
stability, safety, and security
Regional support for strengthened security and stability continued over the last 12 months.
Counter-terrorism efforts included the June 2012 meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum Working
Group on Terrorism, sponsored by the Government of New Zealand. This annual meeting is the
sole regional forum for senior law enforcement and security policy officials to review national and
regional counter terrorism trends and development. The Forum Secretariat and the United Nations
Office of Drug Control implemented an initiative to strengthen the legal framework for counterterrorism
legislation in the Pacific, including ratification of a universal counter-terrorism instrument
and implementation of appropriate domestic legislation.
The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) continued its focus on transition

planning across the mission’s security and policing, law and justice, economic governance, and
government strengthening programs. The capability of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force
continued to improve over the last 12 months, resulting in a substantial decrease in RAMSI’s
security footprint, and an increase in the Solomon Islands Police Forces’ ability to deliver services
effectively. Gains made through capacity development activities continued across other RAMSI
programs. Highlights include a dramatic decline in case disposal times in the High Court and
Honiara Magistrates’ Court, strong growth in revenue collection resulting from improved tax
administration, and continued progress in the performance of the Solomon Islands Parliament’s
committee system.
Pacific Plan and the Post-2015 Development Agenda
The global agenda for development has evolved significantly since Leaders endorsed the Pacific
Plan in 2005. The UN MDGs Summit held in New York in September 2010 started a global
discourse on the ‘post-2015 development agenda’ - referring to the shape of the future development
agenda when the MDGs expire in 2015. The post-2015 process is considering how effective the
MDGs have been in galvanising the international community, and what lessons can be learnt to
apply to the structure that emerges after 2015. It is also supporting international efforts to remain
focused on the achievement of the MDGs over the next three years.
The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) held in June 2012 refocused global
debate on the issue of sustainable development. The Rio+20 Conference outcome document (’The
Future We Want’) includes several outcomes that are particularly relevant for the Pacific region.
In particular, Rio+20:
a. Reemphasised the ‘special case’ for SIDS and endorsed the convenening of a Third
International Conference on SIDS (possibly in the Pacific).
b. Recognised the important roles of oceans and fisheries, and the need for regional and
national actions to achieve sustainable development. It also acknowledged the need to build
capacity of SIDS to gain more equitable returns from their ocean and fisheries resources.
c. Endorsed the development of a set of Sustainable Development Goals, and launched a
process to determine what these new goals may look like. The outcome document also
called for the development process for the Sustainable Development Goals to be linked and
integrated to the post-2015 process already underway.
Currently, the processes to define the post-2015 agenda and the position on Sustainable Development
Goals are expected to be drawn together at the 68th UN General Assembly (the ‘MDG Review
Summit’) to be held in New York in September 2013. In defining the post-2015 agenda, the UNDP
is scheduled to hold fifty national-level consultations in the second-half of 2012, including with
Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands as representatives of the Pacific region. In addition,
a number of thematic consultations will be undertaken to discuss inequalities, health, education,
growth, and other issues.
In relation to the Sustainable Development Goals the Rio+20 outcome document called for the
establishment of an open working group (the ‘SDGs Working Group’) by September 2012 to
prepare a proposal for the 2013 MDG Review Summit. This Working Group will consist of 30
representatives, nominated by Member states through the five UN regional groups.
While the approach to merging these processes is still unclear at this stage, Forum island countries
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have an important opportunity to engage with the international community and influence the
development and application of the global development agenda. It is proposed that the Forum
Secretariat, as the key political, policy, and coordination agency for the region, take the lead role
in developing a process to shape regional thinking and positions on the post-2015 agenda and
Sustainable Development Goals. In leading this effort, the Forum Secretariat will need to engage
and collaborate with the UN agencies mandated to take forward the post-2015 agenda, in particular
the UNDP and UNESCAP. This coordinated approach will be central to drawing on the breadth
of experience available to the region. It will also draw on the existing collaborative arrangements
in the region, including the High Level Sessions of CROP Executives and Heads of UN Agencies,
which has been strengthened as result of the Joint Statement of Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and
the Secretary-General of the United Nations in September 2011.
Regional efforts to coordinate a position on these issues will need to feed into the global processes.
However, with the current uncertainty around the parallel global processes of developing various
global goals, targets and indicators, it is proposed that the Pacific sends a strong signal to the UN
system that it must map out how these processes will merge and when and how parties will be able
to contribute. The upcoming 67th UN General Assembly, and the now established annual high
level meeting between the UN Secretary General and Forum Leaders that will take place in the
margins of the UN General Assembly, will be important opportunities to clarify these arrangements.
It is also proposed that a representative from the Pacific is nominated and fully supported to
participate in the Sustainable Development Goals, Working Group proposed in the Rio+20
outcome document. This will ensure that the region has a voice and can influence global discussion
on the goals.
As the post-2015 agenda and the approach to the Sustainable Development Goals takes shape, it
will be important for the region to consider how the Pacific Plan, as the region’s master strategy
for regional cooperation and integration, needs to be updated or refined to reflect the global
development agenda. There will need to be a clear description of the relationship between the Plan
and post-2015 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, and how they will be tracked at
the national and regional level. The relationship between the framework for sustainable development
and the pillars in the Pacific Plan will also need to be considered to ensure that the regional strategy
clearly reflects and aligns with these global agreements.
The regional development agenda and the Pacific Plan will also have to consider the 20 year review
of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA) meeting (International Conference on the Sustainable
Development of Small Island Developing States), which could be held in the Pacific in 2014. The
BPoA in 1994 translated Agenda 21 into specific actions and measures to enable SIDS to achieve
sustainable development. This approach was central to the development of the Pacific Plan and
will have significant implications for the regional agenda. Hosting the 20 year review meeting in
the region would represent an important landmark opportunity to showcase to the world the
Pacific experience of sustainable development for SIDS. It may also be the first global meeting to
be held in a Pacific island country.
The Pacific Plan and its implementation will also need to consider the outcomes of the Fourth
High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, which was held in Busan in November 2011. This meeting
endorsed the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, which outlined a renewed
global commitment to development effectiveness. The key principles and approaches outlined in
the Busan Partnership will need to be considered in implementing activities under the Pacific Plan.
The proposed review of the Pacific Plan in 2013 will need to closely consider the implications of

the post 2015 development agenda. This will be important for ensuring that the directions set by
Rio+20 and the evolution of Sustainable Development Goals are fully integrated into any new
iteration of the Plan. By adopting this approach, the Pacific Plan can remain relevant and articulate
the Pacific regions’ approach to sustainable development.
Engagement with Non-State Actors
The Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC) meeting in August 2011 discussed arrangements to
strengthen engagement between Members and non-state actors in regional policy making. A key
constraint identified at the time was the lack of funding to support a consultative process that
represented the boarder interests of the region. Partly in response to this issue, the Forum Secretariat
has been negotiating with the EU a programme of funding to support strengthened engagement
between the regional architecture and non-state actors. An initial proposal has been drafted for
submission to the EU, and subject to the outcomes of that process, more detailed design work
could commence in 2012-13. Consideration of the role of PPAC in supporting increased dialogue
with non-state actors could be considered as part of the funding arrangements with the EU, as
well as the proposed review of the Pacific Plan in 2013.
The Forum Secretariat is also considering a number of other options to support increased dialogue
with non-state actors, in addition to existing arrangements - the Non-State Actor Liaison Officer
desk, participation in CROP working groups and in key social policy work (for example disability),
attendance at workshops to discuss trade and peace and conflict issues. This could include a review
of the policy on consultative status and accreditation that was adopted in 2006 by the Forum
Secretariat and non-state actors. Further work can ensure that Forum Secretariat processes are
accessible to non-state actors, and clearly outline where and how they can engage to influence the
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regional agenda. In the coming year this will include the development of a webpage for non-state
actors on the Forum Secretariat website. The Forum Secretariat will also provide space in the
current Pacific Plan reporting annex to incorporate efforts by non-state actors to implement key
priorities under the Pacific Plan. This would improve transparency and demonstrate the close
relationship between the work of Members, CROP agencies, development partners, and non-state
actors to support the development efforts of Forum island countries.
Pacific Plan Staff
In October 2011, David Hesaie was appointed as the Forum Secretariat’s first Non-State Actor
Liaison Officer, based in the Pacific Plan Office but with scope to work throughout the Forum
Secretariat’s programmes.
To help oversee the many ongoing initiatives and new undertakings related to the Pacific Plan
across the region, the Forum Secretariat (with initial funding support from the Government of
Australia) has established a new in-line position within the Pacific Plan Office - the Pacific Plan
Adviser. The Adviser’s role will transition from that previously played by the Pacific Plan Executive
Officer, and will include: tracking progress and reporting implementation of the Pacific Plan;
providing policy advice on the Pacific Plan; managing the Pacific Plan desk officer scheme; and
managing the Pacific Plan Office and Non-State Actors funding windows. Seini O’Connor was
appointed to the Pacific Plan Adviser role in July 2012, for a three-year term.
Pacific Plan Desk Officers have continued to play a key role in the Pacific Plan’s implementation
and oversight, working directly with Member governments to help integrate regional and national
priorities, and increase local understanding of the Pacific Plan. Desk Officers are now in place in
Vanuatu and in each of the Smaller Island States. Negotiations have continued to place two further
Pacific Plan Desk Officers: one in the Solomon Islands, and one in the northern Pacific.
Looking Ahead
The year ahead will be busy for both the CROP agencies continuing to make progress on meeting
Pacific Plan priority areas, and for the staff within the Forum Secretariat’s Strategic Partnerships
and Coordination Programme responsible for overseeing the implementation and ongoing
development of the Pacific Plan.
Last year’s PPAC meeting endorsed a review of the Pacific Plan in 2013. This review is intended
to be far-reaching and ensure that the Plan remains relevant to the region over the next decade.
It will consider the fundamental underpinning of the Plan, including the approach to setting
priorities and the role of key stakeholders in driving regional policy, including development partners.
The PPAC also endorsed the piloting of a performance framework for the Pacific Plan, based on
linking Plan priorities to relevant regional strategies or frameworks and an assessment of progress
by relevant regional bodies ñ either Ministerial meetings or meetings of officials. The pilot was
carried out from February to May 2012. Although it only covered a short period, the pilot
demonstrated that the performance framework was feasible: a total of five priorities were assessed,
generating useful performance information that would provide Leaders with a high-level assessment
of progress. The pilot also highlighted that the approach will work across a range of meetings -
from Ministerial meetings to working groups. Addressing some of the challenges highlighted in
the pilot, and extending the performance framework further by developing more detailed
performance indicators, will be a key priority over coming years.

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