13 May 2019

Pacific ministers seek more info on Resilience Facility

9:11 am on 13 May 2019

The Pacific Forum Economic Ministers want more work done on a new Pacific climate fund before they can endorse it.

A high tide across Ejit Island in Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands on March 3, 2014, causing widespread flooding. Officials in the Marshall Islands blamed climate change for severe flooding in the Pacific nation's capital Majuro.

Photo: AFP

The ministers are to reconvene at a special meeting in July.

The delay comes despite widespread consultations on the fund - to be known as the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) - by a Technical Working Group.

The chair, Nauru's Minister for Development, David Adeang, said while lots of work had been done since last year, some member countries still needed to have discussions with their own governments.

The Savali newspaper reports Samoa's Finance Minister, Sili Epa Tuioti, said the members had come a long way, but decided more time was needed to ensure they had the right sort of architecture.

Forum Secretary-General, Dame Meg Taylor, said clarification was being sought on resilience and preparedness and post recovery.

She said countries wanted to delve into them a lot more, for instance the governance arrangements, the financial model, what would be required of countries and their contribution, what they would get out of it.

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