Secretariat of the Secrétariat du Pacific Regional Programme régional Environment Programme océanien de l’environnement Report of the 18th SPREP Meeting 11-14 September 2007 Apia, Samoa Report of the 18th SPREP Meeting 11–14 September 2007 Apia, Samoa Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme PO Box 240, Vailima, Apia, Samoa T: (685) 21 929 F: (685) 20 231 E: [email protected] W: www.sprep.org SPREP IRC Cataloguing-in-Publication Data SPREP Meeting (18th : 2007 : Apia, Samoa) Report on the 18th SPREP Meeting, 11 – 14 September 2007, Apia, Samoa. - Apia, Samoa : SPREP, 2007. ii + 66 p. ; 29 cm. ISBN: 978-982-04-0382-6 1. Environmental policy - Oceania - Congresses. 2. Conservation of natural resources - Oceania - Congresses. 3. Environmental protection - Oceania - Congresses. I. Pacific Regional Environment Programme. II. Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. III. Title. 363.7099 Prepared for publication, and reproduced, in October-November 2007 by the: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) PO Box 240 Apia, Samoa P: (685) 21929 F: (685) 20231 E: [email protected], W: www.sprep.org © Copyright 2007, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Reproduction of this material, in whole or in part, in any form, is authorised provided appropriate acknowledgement of the source is given. Original text: English Contents Report on the 18th SPREP Meeting 1 Agenda Item 1: Official Opening 1 Agenda Item 2: Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair 2 Agenda Item 3: Adoption of Agenda and Working Procedures 2 Agenda Item 4: Action Taken on Matters Arising from the Seventeenth SPREP Meeting 3 Agenda Item 5: Performance Review/Overview of Developments in 2006 3 Agenda Item 6: Members’ Issues 11 Agenda Item 7: Staff Remuneration Issues 19 Agenda Item 8: 2008 Work Programme and Budget 22 Agenda Item 9: Institutional Matters 31 Agenda Item 10: Regional Cooperation 34 Agenda Item 11: Items Proposed by Members 35 Agenda Item 12: Statements by Observers 37 Agenda Item 13: Other Business 37 Agenda Item 14: Date and Venue of Nineteenth SPREP Meeting 37 Agenda Item 15: Adoption of Report 37 Agenda Item 16: Closure of the Meeting 37 Annexes Annex I List of Participants 39 Annex II Welcome Statement by SPREP Director 49 Annex III Statement by CEO and Chairperson of GEF Secretariat 51 Annex IV Statement by Prime Minister of the Government of Samoa 54 Annex V Adopted Agenda 56 Annex VI Duty Statement for the post of Director 58 Annex VII Sub-committee Report on Independent Corporate Review 59 Annex VIII Remarks by Deputy Director of SPREP 60 Annex IX Closing Statement by SPREP Director 61 Acronyms used and their explanation 63 Meeting Report Introduction 1. The 18th SPREP Meeting (18SM) was convened serious and urgent. He highlighted the willingness of in Apia, Samoa from 11 to 14 September 2007. the SPREP Secretariat to continue to support Representatives of the following SPREP countries and Members to the best of its ability. territories attended: American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, 6. The Director referred to the current study on France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall “regional architecture” and urged members who have Islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, views on the matter to raise the issue in their Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, governments and administrations, prior to the Pacific United Sates of America and Wallis and Futuna. Islands Forum Meeting in October, where the findings Observers from a range of regional, international and would be discussed and a decision made. He also made non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also reference to a planned independent corporate review attended. A list of participants is attached as of SPREP and commended the review to the meeting Annex 1. for endorsement and to donors for funding support. Agenda Item 1: Official Opening 7. He highlighted the work programme for 2008 and raised the need for members to increase their 2. The Master of Ceremony, Taito John Roache, equity, ownership and commitment to SPREP’s greeted all delegates and invited Rev. Dr Featuna’i work. The Director also referred to the need for Liua’ana to bless the meeting. adjustments in remuneration for staff to continue to be competitive and fair. His full statement is 3. The Director of SPREP, Mr Asterio Takesy contained in Annex 2. welcomed all delegates and thanked the Prime Minister of Samoa, the Hon. Tuilaepa Sailele 8. The Chief Executive of the GEF Secretariat, Malielegaoi for agreeing to address and officially open Mme Barbut thanked the Government of Samoa for the 18th SPREP Meeting. He also congratulated the the warm welcome and SPREP for the organization Government of Samoa for successfully hosting what of the meeting. She stated the Pacific islands stand as many considered the best South Pacific Games ever. symbols for the rest of the world, highlighting the region’s natural wealth and beauty, but also the 4. The Director also thanked Madame Monique challenges and threats facing Pacific islands. Barbut, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secretariat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and 9. She expressed her commitment as GEF CEO Chairperson for accepting his invitation to attend the to supporting developing countries participate in the 18th SPREP meeting as special guest and highlighted protection of the global commons to achieve the importance of the GEF and Pacific Small Island sustainable development. She highlighted the Developing States (SIDS) working together to ensure importance of investing GEF money wisely focusing the future sustainability of the Pacific islands by on future sustainability as well as present needs. Mme addressing the special needs of the region and making Barbut announced that US$100 million of GEF the GEF relevant to the Pacific SIDS. funding was going to be available to Pacific SIDS for the next three years focusing on four areas: 5. The Director stated that although much work biodiversity, climate change mitigation and had been undertaken in the time that SPREP had been adaptation, international waters, and cross-cutting established, threats and challenges to the environment issues integrated across sectors such as land and water still remain and in certain areas becoming more management. 1 10. She expressed her delight at SPREP’s Agenda Item 3: Adoption of Agenda employment of a GEF Support Adviser for the region and Working Procedures with financial support from New Zealand and Australia. She commended the work and 14. The Representative of Australia proposed that commitment undertaken and pledged to assist Agenda Item 8.2.1 Strengthening GEF Support Services countries to support national policy change and Within the Region be moved forward for discussion institution building. She concluded her remarks by before Agenda Item 5.2 and proposed that stating that she believes everybody is entitled to consideration be given to the formation of a Working prosper on a living planet and extended an invitation Group to look at key issues such as country priorities and support. to the Pacific islands to continue to commit to the evolving GEF-Pacific Alliance for Sustainability 15. The Representative of Niue proposed the (GEF-PAS). Her full statement is contained in inclusion of the discussion on the Regional Annex 3. Institutional Framework (RIF) into the Meeting’s agenda. 11. The Prime Minister of Samoa, the Hon. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi welcomed delegates and 16. The Representatives of Samoa and Cook thanked the CEO of the GEF for accepting SPREP’s Islands supported the proposal by Australia stating invitation to attend the 18th SPREP meeting. He that this issue was one of the most important issues highlighted that the threats and challenges facing the facing the Pacific and should be made a priority region a decade and a half ago were still current. He discussion of the Meeting. acknowledged the work that SPREP had undertaken since the Secretariat’s move to Samoa in 1992 and 17. The Representative of the United States of addressed the current study on the Regional America agreed with Niue’s proposal and requested that it be included under Agenda Item 11: Items Institutional Framework (RIF). He expressed the Proposed by Members stating that they had followed Government of Samoa’s commitment and belief in this review quite closely and if possible, would like the usefulness of SPREP and reinforced his belief that to share the questions they had regarding the SPREP should continue its service as it was presently proposal. constituted. 18. The Secretariat stated that Members were free 12. He also highlighted the need to continue to to discuss the Regional Institutional Framework, support growing organizations and called on the however it did not have a report for discussion given collective help and support of all SPREP members to that this was currently being finalized for submission ensure the organization was able to deliver on its to the RIF Task Force and the Pacific Plan Action services. This included sharing how each Member was Committee at the end of the month. meeting its responsibilities through the Country Profiles template and paying Member contributions 19. The Representative of Papua New Guinea also on time. The Prime Minister’s opening address is proposed the inclusion under Agenda Item 11 of an th contained in Annex 4. update on the 8 Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas scheduled for Alotau, PNG in October. Agenda Item 2: Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair 20. The Meeting adopted the Revised Agenda (contained in Annex 5) and its proposed hours and 13. The Meeting in accordance with the SPREP programme of work. Meeting Rules of Procedures, appointed the Representative of Guam, Ms. Lorilee T. Crisostomo 21. The Meeting also appointed an open-ended as Chair, who made a brief opening statement and Report Drafting Committee comprising of a core the Representative of Samoa, Tu’u’u Dr.