SPC'.SOPAC' -SPREP/RIF (01) Surnmru"yof decisions ORIGINAL: ENGLISH JOINT MEETING OF SOPAC, SPC AND SPREP GOVERNING BODIES ON THE REGIONAL INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK (RIF) (Trade\vinds Convention Centre. Sliva. Fiji. 7-8 .11I1y~OO9) SUMMARY OF DECISIONS , I. The governing bodies of the Pacific Islands Applied GeoscienceCommission (SOPAC), the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Pacific Regional Environment Programme(SPREP) met together under the chairmanship of the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariatto consider options for new institutional arrangementsfor their organisations.The meeting was an historic occasion, being the first time that such a joint meeting has been held. Work on the reform of the current Regional Institutional Framework (RIF) has been carried out in responseto the decision of Pacific Islands Forum Leadersand the previous decisions of the three governing bodies that SOPAC programmesand services should be rationalised into SPC and SPREP.As a result, the CEOs of SOPAC, SPC and SPREP,with the support of their staff, have undertaken extensive consultation to develop options for su~h a rationalisation and have commissioned reports from independentconsultants on the financial, legal and operational implications of various options. An overriding considerationof these consultationshas beenthe need to avoid fragmentation or diminution of SOPAC"s core services, which are highly valued by its members,and to ensurethat the region benefits from enhancedsynergies and efficiencies as a result of the rationalisation, in accordancewith the objectives of the RtF processand the wishes of Forum leaders. After extensive deliberation of the options and a.YSOCiafed illlplelllel1lo1iOl1pIal's presented.the joint meeting of the governing bodies of SOPAC, SPC atld SPREP agreed on the following decisions.These decisions will be provided to Forum Lead~rs throughthe Pacific Plan .I\ction Com.rnittee. -1 ~ Summary of decisions Page2 DECISIONS a) "'ith respect to the ICT Outreacl, Prograll""e of sOP.-4C, tilt' j()illt ",eetmg (~t'till:' go , 'erllillg bodie5': (;) endorsedthe integration of the IC'I' Outreach Programmeof SOPAC into the Digital Strategycomponent of the proposed,new division of Economic Development. En~rgy, Transpol1.Infrastructure and Communicationof SPC from January 20 10; (ii) noted that the final implementation plan will be presented to the meetings of the respectivegoverning bodiesofSPC and SOPAC ill October 2009; and (iii) noted further that the GIS and remote sensingfunctions constitute an integral part of the core scientific work of SOPAC and will transfer to SPC from January2010. b) With respect to the Energy Programme of SOPAC, the joint meeting of the governing bodies: (i) endorsedthe decisiontaken by Pacific EnergyMinisters in Tonga in April 2009 in which Energy Ministers: a. agreed that regional and donor coordination and de.livery of energy services to Pacific Island countries be strengthenedand delivered through one energy agencyand through one programme contributing to the developmentof a stronger energy sector and improved service to membercountries; and b. in this context, noted that there was a needto ensurethat energy policy and climate change policy remainedseparate, where environmentalaspects are managedby SPREP and energysector activities by SPCso as to ensurethat the socio-economic aspectsof energy were adequatelyaddressed; (ii) recognisedthe interrelationship and links betweenenergy and climate change and the need to addressenergy policy in relation to climate change as an integral pal1 of the final implementation plan for rationalisationof the energy programme 0 f SOPAC: fiif) noted that this plan ,viii be presentedfor considerationto the meetingsof the goverlling body of SPREPin Septemberand of SOPAC and SPC i II October 2009 to enable implementation from January20 I O. 1 ~ Summaryof decisions Page2. ..:) If Ilh rt'spt'cIIO Ihl! boltll1ct' of Ihe sOP." C core u'ork progral'1I',t'. Ih~ joilll"re~/iIIg ~r the go "t'millg bodit's: (il \\r?;lcom~ thr?;commitment by members to stren2.thenSPREP as the re~ion'sle.1d .. ... - r:n\"ironmentalagr:ncy. including throllgh supporttor the implr:ment{ttionof the ap~'ro\'ed decisionsrel.1ting to the independentcorporate revie\\' of SPREP: (iiJ agreedthat the tollo",,'ingspecific SOPAC functions be transterredto SPREP,li'o"I.I"m,c,,:\' 1010: the Pacific IslandsGlobal OceanObserving System. the IslandsClimate Update.the Climate and Meteorological Database.and the componentof the energy sectorre~ating to monitoring and evaluation of greenhollsegases and the clean development mechanism(COM); (iii) agreedthat the remaining functionsof SOPAC be transferredto SPCas a ne\v geosciencc division from January20 I 0 basedon the final implementationplan to be presentedto and consideredby the governing bodiesof SOPAC and SPC in October 2009; (tv) encouragedSPREP and SPC to optimise linkag;es between their work programmes and activities in the areaof environmentto strengthenservice delivery and coordination; and (v) agreedthat progresswith the transferof SOPAC functions be reportedto the annual meetings of the governing bodiesand Pacific PlanAction Committee. 3 ~ Joint Meeting of SOPAC, SPREP and SPC Governing Bodies on the Regional institutional Framework (RIF) 7 & 8 July, 2009 Tradewinds Convention Centre, Suva, Fiji Participants List AMERICAN SAMOA Tel: +679 338 2279 Fax: +679 338 2695 Leota Alapapa Vaea Ainu’u E-mail: [email protected] Administrator Chief of Land Use Management Mr Jonathan Mitchell Land Use Permitting Chief Program Manager Liaison Officer AusAID Office of the Governor PO Box 214 Environmental Protection AGency Suva PO Box PPA FIJI ISLANDS Utulei Office Building Tel: +679 338 2211 Pago Pago Fax: +679 338 2316 AMERICAN SAMOA E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +684 633 2304 Fax: +684 633 5715 E-mail: [email protected] COOK ISLANDS Mr Carl Hunter AUSTRALIA Director Pacific Division Ms Judith Robinson Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration Minister Counsellor PO Box AusAID Rarotonga PO Box 214 COOK ISLANDS Suva Tel: +682 29347 FIJI ISLANDS Fax: +682 21247 Tel: +679 338 2211 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +679 338 2316 E-mail: [email protected] Mr Vaitoti Tupa Director Ms Romaine Kwesius National Environment Services Counsellor PO Box 371 AusAID Rarotonga PO Box 214 COOK ISLANDS Suva FIJI ISLANDS 1 Tel: +682 21256 Mr Ricky F. Cantero Fax: +682 22356 Deputy Assistant Secretary E-mail: [email protected] Department of Foreign Affairs Government of the Federated States of Mr Keu Mataroa Micronesia Executive Officer P.O. Box PS123 Ministry of Works Palikir, Pohnpei FM 96941 PO Box 102 FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA Rarotonga Tel: +691 320-2613 /2641 COOK ISLANDS Fax: +691 320-2933 Tel: (682) 20034 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: (682) 21134 E-mail: [email protected] FIJI FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA Mr Peceli Vocea Secretary for Foreign Affairs, International HE Mr Samson E. Pretrick Cooperation & Civil Aviation Ambassador Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Embassy of the Federated States of Micronesia Cooperation & Civil Aviation PO Box 15493 PO Box 2220, Government Buildings Suva Suva FIJI ISLANDS FIJI ISLANDS Tel: +679 330 4566 Tel: +679 330 9631 Fax: +679 330 4081 Fax: +679 330 1741 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Mr Sainivalati Navoti Mr Marion Henry Director Political & Treaties Division Assistant Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Division of Resource Management & Cooperation & Civil Aviation Development PO Box 2220, Government Buildings Department of Economic Affairs Suva PO Box PS-12 FIJI ISLANDS Palikir, Pohnpei FM96941 Tel: +679 330 9667 FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA Fax: +679 330 1741 Tel: +691 320 5133 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +691 320 5854 E-mail: [email protected] Mr Ian Fong Acting Director of Mineral Development Mr Andrew Yatilman Mineral Resources Department Director Private Mail Bag, GPO Office of Environment and Emergency Suva Management FIJI ISLANDS PO Box 69 Tel: +679 338 7065 Palikir, Pohnpei FM 96941 Fax: +679 338 0039 FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +691 320-8815 Fax: +691 320-8936 E-mail: [email protected] 2 Mr Senitieli Wainiu KIRIBATI SAS (Political & Treaties) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International HE Mrs Reteta N. Rimon Cooperation & Civil Aviation High Commissioner PO Box 2220, Government Buildings Kiribati High Commission Suva PO Box 17937 FIJI ISLANDS Suva Tel: +679 330 9645 FIJI ISLANDS Fax: +679 330 7701 Tel: +679 330 2512 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +679 331 5133 E-mail: [email protected] FRANCE Mr Atanteora Beiatau Secretary for Finance & Economic Planning HE Mr Patrick Roussel Ministry of Finance & Economic Planning Ambassador PO Box Permanent Secretary for Pacific Affairs Bikenibeu, Tarawa French Representative to SPC and SPREP KIRIBATI Secrétariat permanent pour le Pacifique Tel: +686 21802 27 rue Oudinot Fax: 75358 Paris E-mail: [email protected] FRANCE Tel: +33 (01) 53 69 29 29 Mrs Tarsu Murdoch Fax: +33 (01) 53 69 22 76 Secretary E-mail: [email protected] Ministry of Environment, Lands & Agricultural Development Mr François Marchand PO Box 234 Counsellor Bikenibeu, Tarawa Embassy of France KIRIBATI Private Mail Bag Tel: +686 28211/28507 Suva Fax: +686 28334 FIJI ISLANDS E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +679 331 0526/331 0527 Fax: +67 322 3901 Mrs Nenenteiti Teariki-Ruatu E-mail: Deputy