Pacific NGOs Strategise

For Immediate Release

Pacific NGOs Strategise Towards World Development Forum In South Korea

SUVSUVA, FIJI ISLANDS (25 March, 2011) .Leaders of national Non Government Organisations (NGOs) are meeting in Suva over the next two days to discuss ways to make development assistance more effective in terms of the accountability of NGOs, creation of enabling environment and political spaces for civil society and the democratic ownership of development at national level.

The Pacific CSO Regional Follow Up and Planning Meeting for the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF4) is organised by the Pacific Islands Association of Non Government Organisations (PIANGO) and is funded by the Global Open Forum Consortium through InterAction - the United States umbrella NGO. PIANGO is the Co-chair for the Global facilitation Group leading the global CSO preparations towards HLF4 and recently chaired another such preparatory meeting in Sweden from 14-15 March.

The HLF4 will be held from November 29 to December 1, 2011 in Busan, Korea and will assess whether or not key government commitments on CSO recognition made at the HLF3 in Accra, in 2008 have been achieved. The meeting is a key opportunity for governments and donors to go beyond promises and commit to more effective, sustainable development assistance in terms of its real impact on the lives of all people.

“ThisPacific regional meeting is discussing application of the Istanbul Principles on CSO Development Effectiveness in a Pacific context and is also seeking to further develop the draft Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness for adoption at the second Open Forum General Assembly to be held in Cambodia in June,” said PIANGO Interim Executive Director, Ms Emele Duituturaga-Jale.

“Our effectiveness as Pacific CSOs is important to making an impact in our development work and so the draft international framework on CSO Development Effectiveness which was endorsed at the 2010 Istanbul Global Assembly on development effectiveness is a major achievement.

“This gives us a strong basis to transform our work and improve our future relationships with Pacific governments and donors and to work together to have more impact on development actions in our Pacific region and in the rest of the world,” she said.

PIANGO’s Acting Chairperson, Mr Moale Vagi said the organisation has, over the past year, shifted its focus from a programme-oriented role to that of a regional platform and a global gateway for Pacific NGOs on thematic issues.

“PIANGO genuinely represents the culture, heritage, identity and hopes of Pacific people and we are grateful to Coordination Sud (France), the Commonwealth Foundation (United Kingdom) and Inter Action (USA) who have demonstrated donor confidence in PIANGO in funding activities in the areas of climate change and development effectiveness,” Mr Vagi said.

The Pacific regional meeting is also discussing existing models of accountability mechanisms and application for compliance to the Istanbul Principles, including advocacy strategies on common policy issues of concern such as climate change.

ENDS

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