CORPORATE REFORMS TO ENHANCE EFFECTIVENESS OF FORUM SECRETARIAT

The corporate reforms being discussed by the Forum Officials Committee (FOC) at a meeting which got underway at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji today will “go a long way to enhancing the Secretariat’s effectiveness and efficiency”.

FOC is the governing council of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and membership is at senior official level from the 16 member Forum countries.

The meeting is also attended by representatives of the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) as observers.

The FOC session is expected to discuss and endorse the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Corporate Plan 2008 – 2012, related programme strategic plans, and related corporate reforms, the PIFS 2009 Budget and Work Programme.

The meeting will also discuss among other issues Membership Contributions, a Framework for Regional Meetings, a paper on a Monitoring and Reporting Framework and a review of the Secretariat’s Staff Regulations.

In his first address to a meeting of FOC since appointed by Forum Leaders in August, the new Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade said: “This package of reforms provides clear purpose to focus energy and commitment of the Secretariat to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of services.

“They are reforms that respond to you, the members, and your interest and concerns for the Secretariat to be more strategic and focused and to be smarter in undertaking core functions. And so, by these reform measures, your Secretariat is reacting to both challenges and the opportunity to do better,” Mr Slade said.

“I am personally convinced that the Corporate Plan, with the accompanying programme strategic plans, will strategically position your Secretariat and its limited resources to better support the Leaders’ decisions and the key regional priorities identified by the Leaders and other key regional ministerial meetings.”

On the annual work programme and budget for 2009, Mr Slade said: “We will be tabling a budget with a small surplus, and one where expenditure was developed to match confirmed funding available.”

“This, I hope, will provide greater certainty and clarity on what activities will receive funding in 2009 and what funding gaps exist in our work programme.”

In his opening statement, Mr Slade briefed the FOC on the visit of the Forum Ministerial Contact Group to Suva last week.

Mr Slade described the Group’s meetings with Fiji’s interim Prime Minister and other key stakeholders as “frank and informative”.

“Ministers did, however express disappointment that the Fiji Interim Government had confirmed that it did not intend to hold elections by March 2009 in line with its previous commitments to Forum Leaders,” said Mr Slade.

“The Forum is, of course, committed to constructive dialogue with the Interim Administration, and to support and encourage the Interim Administration to return Fiji to democracy within the framework of the decisions of Forum Leaders.’

Mr Slade said the Ministerial Contact Group will be reporting to Forum Leaders at their special session scheduled for 27 January 2009 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The FOC session is being held today and tomorrow and is being chaired by Niue.

For more information, contact Mr Johnson Honimae, the Forum Secretariat’s Media Officer on phone 679 331 2600 or email: johnsonh@forumsec.org.fj