Pacific CSO Voices in Policy Key to Effective Development

PACIFIC CSO VOICES IN POLICY SPACES KEY TO EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT: PIANGO

Date: 14 October 2016
Suva - Pacific civil society voices in international and regional policy spaces is critical in determining context-relevant development for the region says the Pacific Islands Association of NGOs.

PIANGO executive director, Emele Duituturaga echoed these sentiments after three PIANGO officers participated last week in various international and regional forums.

“Alanieta Vakatale who coordinates our Civil Society Partnership for Development Effectiveness program attended the 2016 Busan Global Partnership Forum, which was held in Seoul on last week,” Duituturaga said.

“This forum took stock of the first year of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and allowed stakeholders to share their experiences and best practices in implementing the Busan Principles for Effective Development Cooperation. It was also an opportunity for stakeholders from around the world to reflect on the Busan Partnership Agreement for Effective Development Cooperation, and preparatory work towards the 2nd High Level Ministerial meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, in Nairobi later this year”

Duituturaga said PIANGO Communications Officer, Sushil Patel was in Washington DC last week attending the Civil Society Policy Forum of the 2016 International Monetary Fund/World Bank Group Annual Autumn Meeting.

“The Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) is an integral part of the IMF and WBG Annual Meetings and provides a space for CSOs to dialogue and exchange views with World Bank Group and IMF staff, their peers, government delegations, and other stakeholders on a wide range of topics. PIANGO was infact the sole Pacific voice there,” Duituturaga said.

She said PIANGO was also represented through, Akmal Ali at the Melanesian Wantok Summit organized by Vanuatu Free West Papua Association (VFWPA) in Port Vila last week.

“It brought together 43 representatives of civil society from Vanuatu, West Papua, Fiji, Kanaky, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to revisit and strengthen Melanesian identity, culture, languages, heritage.”

The summit, she said, also served to gather updates on decolonization processes and campaigns in the sub region particularly in gathering support for West Papua.

“PIANGO is a platform organization which means that the connections and knowledge we gather through our participation is shared to the 24 affiliates we have in the region who share the PIANGO purpose and vision and vice versa.”

Duituturaga said regional representation and advocacy in decision making and policy spaces like these is key to ensuring the effectiveness of development interventions that the Pacific receives from development actors.
ENDS

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