A team of SPREP Climate Change Division was recently in Kiribati to introduce the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project aiming to build resilience of communities to climate change focusing on the water resource sector in the outer islands.
Climate Change Adaptation Adviser, Ms Diane McFadzien, and Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project Manager, Mr Taito Nakalevu, met with the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development (MELAD), Office of the President, Ministry of Public Works and Utilities to establish the institutional arrangements for the project implementation.
(L-R) Mr Taito Nakalevu of SPREP and Mr Eita Metai, MPWU Secretary of Kiribati, at the signing of the MoU
"Initial discussions on this project were welcomed by the Kiribati Government and it has been agreed that the Ministry of Public Works and Utilities will be responsible for the direct implementation of this project in Kiribati, with input also from MELAD," said Ms McFadzien.
A draft memorandum of understanding has been agreed upon, and will be finalized shortly together with a project steering committee that will provide project oversight and ensure that the project fits within the national development priorities of Kiribati. A project core team will be tasked with implementation.
With USAID funding, SPREP will work closely with agencies in the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) such as the Pacific Islands Applied Geosciences Commission Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in the delivery of this work, in an effort to harmonize climate change efforts of CROP in the region. The project will run until December 2013.
For more information, contact Ms Diane McFadzien.