New S.P.R.E.P boss next week

The announcement of the new Director- General of the Vailima-based Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (S.P.R.E.P) is expected to be made in Samoa next week.

It is to be made at S.P.R.E.P’s 26th Meeting of Officials in Apia.

The Meeting brings together the governing council of S.P.R.E.P to discuss S.P.R.E.P strategic issues and approve the 2016 work plan for the organisation.

A number of different issues will be discussed by the 14 Pacific island and five metropolitan member countries and partners of S.P.R.E.P.

Over the three-day meeting these include an update on the Pacific Climate Change Centre (P.C.C.C), Climate Finance, discussion on a new regional strategy on waste management and the development of the next S.P.R.E.P Strategic Plan.

A key outcome of the annual meeting will be the announcement of the new Director- General as the term of the current S.P.R.E.P Head, David Sheppard, comes to a close at the end of this year.

“We have a busy three days in front of us as S.P.R.E.P is on the cusp of a new era, not only in terms of leadership, but also the development of a new Strategic Plan that will take the environment organisation forward as we address the growing environmental challenges across our region,” said Mr. Sheppard.

“S.P.R.E.P is facing some exciting times ahead and I am sure the organisation will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

The twenty-sixth meeting of officials will be preceded by the Pacific Environment Forum which will focus on the critical issue of climate finance, in particular on the Green Climate Fund.

This will be the fourth Pacific Environment Forum (P.E.F) held which brings together delegates from across the region to deliberate on key environment issues impacting the region. The outcomes of the P.E.F will also be discussed during the S.P.R.E.P Meeting of Officials.

The forum will be preceded by two important Convention meetings, one on Waste, the eighth meeting of the Waigani Convention, and the other on the Noumea Convention which helps manage marine pollution.

Ten Pacific countries are a party to the Noumea Convention and they are obliged to take all appropriate measures to ensure sound environmental management and development of natural resources.

The Waigani Convention aims to control the trans-boundary pollutant movements and help in the management of hazardous wastes within the Pacific region. There are currently 13 countries who are signatories to the Waigani Convention.

All of the above meetings will be held at the Tanoa Tusitala in Apia. The 13th meet of the Noumea Convention is on 17 September, followed by the 8th meeting of the Waigani Convention on 18 September. The Pacific Environment Forum on Climate Finance is on 21 September and the Twenty-Sixth SPREP Meeting of Officials is from 22nd – 24th September.

Parties to the Noumea Convention are Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, France, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and the United States.

Parties to the Waigani Convention are Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.