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SPC Will Be A 'Larger Organisation' In 2011

SPC Will Be A 'Larger Organisation' In 2011

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Thursday, 28 Oct. 2010 - In January 2011, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) will be a larger organisation with more staff and additional programmes, according to its Director-General, Dr Jimmie Rodgers.

'SPC is about three key development outcomes - sustainable human development, sustainable natural resources management and development and sustainable economic development. These are also our key result areas,' he said.

Dr Rodgers was speaking at the opening of the 40th meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA - SPC's governing body) at SPC headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia. Representatives from 24 of SPC's 26 members are attending the meeting, which runs from 25 to 29 October 2010 and covers issues that are of high priority for Pacific Island countries and territories, including agriculture, aquaculture, culture, fisheries, forestry, gender, ICT, human rights, maritime transport, Pacific Legislatures for Population and Governance, public health, statistics and demography, youth and cross-cutting areas including food security and climate change. SPC leads regional initiatives in many of these sectors in partnership with other regional and international organisations.

SPC will expand significantly in January 2011 with the full integration of two of these regional organisations: the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA), which initially merged with SPC as a stand-alone programme at the start of 2010. The move of the two organisations to SPC is the result of decisions made by Pacific Forum leaders to reform the regional institutional framework with a view to achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness in delivering services to members.

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SPC members, many of whom are also members of SOPAC and SPBEA, stressed the importance of the work of both organisations to Pacific Island countries and territories as they welcomed them to their new home in SPC.

SPBEA and SOPAC are both based in Suva, Fiji Islands, increasing the number of SPC staff based in Fiji to more than half (360) of SPC's 600 staff in 2011. Noumea has just over 200 staff, while remaining staff are based in the North Pacific regional office in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, smaller country offices in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and field operations in 10 other island countries.

Dr Rodgers said that 2011 would be a crucial year for SPC in ensuring that its expansion in terms of programmes and staff was supported by strong capability in planning, financial management, human resources, administration, legal issues, programme support, ICT and change management.

He highlighted the following milestones for 2011: continued full and effective delivery of all existing SPC services as well as the services transferring to SPC from SOPAC, SPBEA and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat; optimal corporate, programme support and ICT services to support the expanded organisation; finalisation of the long-term sustainable financing strategy; review and updating of the organisation's legal and strategic documents - the Tahiti Nui declaration and the SPC corporate plan; and strengthening the organisation's resilience, its 'engine room' and its strategic engagement, policy and planning facility.

The Director-General expressed appreciation for the continued support of members and development partners in providing funding for the work of SPC, saying that the spirit of partnership doubled the value of the efforts of every organisation. In this regard, he noted the success of the joint country strategies that are developed between SPC and its member countries and territories to ensure that members' priorities are addressed in a way that meets their individual needs. A major development in 2010 was the decision by the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) to produce 'all CROP' joint country strategies with members as a tool for improving coordination of the services delivered by all participating CROP agencies to each member

The CRGA meeting, which ends on Friday, has a packed agenda that includes presentations by members on the impact of SPC's work in their country or territory.

'SPC is a complex organisation operating in several countries with staff from throughout the region and all corners of the globe,' said Dr Rodgers, 'but size doesn't mean we're out of touch. In fact, one of our strengths is our ability to take a cross-cutting approach to issues like energy, for example, which affects every aspect of economic and social development.'

'In the end, SPC is united by one main aim - to make a difference to the lives of Pacific Island people.'

For further information, visit SPC's website: www.spc.int

ENDS

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