The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia with its Directorate of Technical Cooperation and in collaboration with the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) will be implementing a series of capacity building training’s for PIDF and MSG member countries over the coming months in venues across the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of Fiji.
This collaboration is part of technical cooperation commitments made by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia for Pacific Island Countries (Melanesia Spearhead Group and Pacific Island Development Forum) to improve the development capacity of the Pacific countries which was made by the President of the Republic of Indonesia during a state visit to Fiji to attend the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) Head of State Meeting in 2014.
“We are indeed very grateful to the Government of Indonesia for their technical and financial assistance for capacity development training’s for Pacific Island member countries and territories and realizing part of their commitment made back in 2014 during the 2nd PIDF Leaders’ Summit,” said PIDF Secretary General, François Martel.
A high level delegation led by H.E Ambassador Desra Percaya, Deputy Minister on Asia, Pacific and Africa with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with PIDF Management team a week ago to discuss finer details pertaining to logistical coordination and implementation of upcoming training which includes areas such as Multi-Media training course, International training on coastal erosion and mangrove product development for MSG and PIDF countries and International Training in Sustainable Tourism for MSG/PIDF Countries.
“Through this technical partnership a week long international workshop on Seaweed and Fisheries Products Development for MSG and PIDF Countries will commence at the Forestry Training Centre in Suva from Tuesday this week”, further added Secretary General Martel.
The workshop will focus on capacity building in the field of community based seaweed and fisheries products development and involve participants from the member countries of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and
Kanak National Liberation Front) as well as the member countries of the Pacific Islands Development Forum, such as Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia and Tokelau in which each country is expected to nominate two participants with backgrounds in the field of seaweed and fisheries products or participants who already have a fisheries business line.