Forum Secretariat leads Assessment in Marshall Islands to enhance Access and Management of Climate Change Finance

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) recently undertook a climate change finance assessment in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) to help the small island nation better access and manage climate change finance.

According to Chief Secretary of the RMI, Mr. Casten Nemra, The assessment is timely because it will inform us of the current situation and the steps needed to enable us to tap much needed climate finance sources that would strengthen the resilience of our communities and atoll islands to the adverse effects of climate change.

The assessment follows a formal request made by the Government of RMI and is being undertaken as a collaborative initiative between the PIFS and development partners, including USAID ADAPT Asia-Pacific, Secretariat of the Pacific Communitys Global Climate Change Alliance: Pacific Small Island States (SPC-GCCA: PSIS programme) funded by the European Union, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre (PFTAC), and the RMI Government. The Australian Government is also providing funding for the assessment.

Following consultations and briefings with key stakeholders, including members of the RMI National Climate Change Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary, the Minister responsible for climate change, all key line Ministries and entities in RMI that have a role in climate change; the Mayors Association; development partners present in-country; NGOs, and educational institutions, the joint team are now in a position to produce a report that will provide strategic advice to the RMI Government on the sources of funding for climate related activities, policies and plans, public financial management and expenditure, institutional and human capacities, and development effectiveness.

With climate change at the forefront of our Governments priority, we believe that partnership at all levels is crucial in order for a small island nation like ours to effectively access and manage international climate change finance to respond to adverse impacts of climate change, says Honorable Tony deBrum, the national Minister responsible for Climate Change.

The Secretariat was pleased to receive the request from the RMI Government and wishes to commend RMI for the leadership shown in continuing to place climate change at the forefront of high level political discussions in the region and internationally, says Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The Forum Secretariat has taken a multi-stakeholder, multi-partner approach to this joint mission, to ensure that findings of this assessment are comprehensive and useful to the RMI government on various levels, and particularly to increase and improve RMIs ability to access climate financing, strengthen coordination and implementation of climate related efforts, now and into the future.

This assessment complements and builds on other existing frameworks including the Forum Compact work in identifying gaps and areas of progress, and how development partners and other stakeholders could effectively collaborate to assist national efforts on Climate Change Financing, added Mr. Slade.

The joint team intends to undertake a follow-up visit in April to present the preliminary findings and discuss the necessary follow-up actions with the RMI.

ENDS

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Forum Secretariat leads Assessment in Marshall Islands