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FSM Delegation Attends Pacific Regional Workshop on Aid Effectiveness

Suva, Fiji (FSM Embassy): July 2, 2010 - A delegation from FSM, comprising of Mr. Kandhi Elieisar, Assistant Secretary, FSM Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gillian Doone, Assistant Director, Office of SBOC and Mr. Samson Pretrick, Ambassador, FSM Embassy in Suva, attended the Pacific Regional Workshop on Aid Effectiveness (PRWAE) in Nadi, Fiji from June 21-23.

The purpose of the workshop was to facilitate country perspective and action that contribute to accelerating regional, national and development partner efforts in implementation and monitoring of the aid effectiveness principles; to consider and discuss the linkages and application of regional aid effectiveness efforts with the international aid effectiveness agenda. In particular, supporting implementation of the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination in the Pacific, and to support national efforts in enhancing aid effectiveness under the Pacific Plan; to prepare for the Fourth High Level Forum Aid Effectiveness (HLF4) in Seoul, Korea, 2011; and to establish a strategic pathway for the inclusion of workshop outcomes in Forum processes to contribute to regional aid effectiveness decisions.

After the PRWAE workshop, the FSM delegation attended the Pacific Island Countries/Development Partners Meeting also in Nadi, Fiji, from June 24-25. The progress toward implementation of the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination was the major item of discussion at the meeting. The two-day meeting also discussed the deliverables under the Cairns Compact on strengthening development coordination endorsed by Forum Leaders at their 2009 annual meeting.

The deliverables under the Cairns Compact include a process of regular peer review of Forum Island Countries (FICs) national development plans, annual reporting on national planning processes, a development partners annual report on their efforts in support of the Cairns Compact, a report on the regions progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals and a proposed Roadmap for Strengthening Public Financial Management.

So far only Nauru and Kiribati had been peer reviewed. The rest of the FICs, including FSM, have not volunteered to be peer reviewed. The FSM is also in the process of completing the rest of the deliverables required under the Cairns Compact, including the annual reporting on its national planning processes.

Further information on the recent Pacific Regional Workshop on Aid Effectiveness and the Pacific Island Countries/Development Partners Meeting may also be downloaded from the Forum Secretariat website at www.forumsec.org.fj.