General News
Photo: Dr David Haynes
SPREP Members at the 23rd SPREP Meeting held in Noumea, New Caledonia, noted many positive results from SPREP’s change management process which has sharply focused on increasing support to Pacific island countries and territories to address environmental and sustainable development issues.
The meeting noted that SPREP has doubled its direct financial and technical support for Pacific members of SPREP over the 2009-2011 period, with SPREP’s direct financial support increasing from US$2.4 million in 2010 to US$4.3 million in 2011, while support for SPREP Member regional level activities increased from US$7 million in 2010 to US$8.3 million in 2011. The Meeting approved a work plan and balanced budget of USD $18.8 million for 2013 and noted this budget has increased from USD $7.6 million in 2009. Over this period, salary costs as a percentage of the total SPREP budget have dropped from 45% in 2009 to 27% in 2012, indicating that increased funding is directly supporting SPREP Member countries rather than building up staffing at SPREP. SPREP Members thanked donors and partners for their increased confidence and trust of donors in SPREP’s improved performance and financial management.
The SPREP Meeting also approved new SPREP Staff Regulations and requested the SPREP Secretariat to start a decentralization process, including having SPREP technical desk officers in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. SPREP was also asked to explore partnership mechanisms with the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to enhance coordination and delivery of services to South West Pacific members.