SPC CONSOLIDATES LONG TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH SIG
Dr Colin Tukuitonga Secretary General of SPC. Photo credit: Pacific Scoop.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, SPC, has consolidated its long-term partnership with the Solomon Islands Government.
The partnership was consolidated when Dr Colin Tukuitonga, SPC’ Director-General met with Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo Thursday last week.
SPC opened a country office in Honiara in 2009 and the Solomon Islands became the first member country to host an official national coordination office under a formal Host Country Agreement.
The office serves as a platform for providing scientific knowledge, technical know-how and development implementation to the Solomon Islands across the full range of SPC’s seven technical divisions.
It is also a hub for multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Choiseul Province climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment, which involved SPC, the German Agency for International Cooperation, GIZ, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, SPREP, and the United States Agency for International Development, USAID.
SPC’s Solomon Islands Office has also implemented an important youth programme ‘Youth At Work’ – a national initiative giving disengaged youths the opportunity to be mentored in basic skills and values and provided with practical job experience.
Dr Tukuitonga confirmed, SPC’s key role as an international development organisation with an on-the-ground presence in the Solomon Islands and its intention is to deepen and strengthen its partnership with the Solomon Islands government.
He adds, the focus will be on tangible development outcomes for the country and the region.