REMARKS BY THE INTERIM CHAIR OF THE SENIOR OFFICIALS COMMITTEE- H.E. PATTERSON OTI, HIGH COMMISSIONER OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS TO FIJI AND THE REGION AT THE LAUNCHING OF THE ONLINE CONSULTATION CAMPAIGN TO GAIN FEEDBACK ON THE PIDF ESTABLISHMENT AGREEMENT, 10.00 AM WEDNESDAY 25/3/15, PIDF SECRETARIAT, SUVA
Ni Sa Bula Vinaka & Greetings to you All!
Two years ago, we celebrated the creation of this new institution- the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) for the people of the Pacific and for our future sustainable developments.
Today marks another notch in the PIDF as I launch the online consultation campaign on the PIDF Establishment Agreement. As Interim Chair of the Senior Officials Committee, I am elated to launch this important process, which I must say is purely unprecedented in the history of Pacific regional institutions, in as far as the development of regional institutions and its establishment agreements were undertaken.
In our process, true to the inclusive and participatory vision of the PIDF, the views and opinions of the public, private, civil societies, academia and all sectors and stakeholders in our Pacific societies and communities are important and should be consulted in its development and formulation.
The PIDF Agreement will set out key institutional and organisational arrangements governing the sustainable developments of Pacific SIDS. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the process that the voices of the Pacific people are heard and respected. They have to have a say in the design and establishment of the PIDF Agreement before it is tabled before Leaders at the third PIDF Summit in August later this year for necessary approval and adoption.The consultation process is broadly participatory. It will be an open consultation across the Pacific using all mediums of communication. In addition to the process being publicly advertised, the online consultation campaign will have a targeted component. Tens of thousands of stakeholders in the public sector, private sector and civil society will be contacted directly through various media to invite their participation in the process.
With the launching of the online public consultations today, individuals, civil society organisations and the private sector will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed contents of the agreement. Its aim is to gain feedback on their suitability to create an institution that can achieve the green growth/sustainability agenda in Pacific SIDS.
I will encourage you all to log into the PIDF website and access the information package for your views. Remember your views are very important in this whole process and you need to voice it out. The new agreement will only be enriched by your views and ideas.
With these brief remarks, I now launch the online consultation. Thank You.