Pacific Community

• Principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific

• An international development organisation with 26 country and territory members

• Active in over 25 sectors

• Founded in 1947

Includes all 22 Pacific Island countries and territories and four founding members – Australia, France, New Zealand, USA

Pacific Community members

“To work for the well-being of

Pacific people through the

effective and innovative

application of science and

knowledge, guided by a deep

understanding of Pacific

Island contexts and cultures”

Our mission

Our shared vision

“Our Pacific vision is for a

region of peace, harmony,

security, social inclusion and

prosperity, so that all Pacific

people can lead free, healthy

and productive lives”

• Pacific people benefit from sustainable economic development

• Pacific communities are empowered and resilient

• Pacific Island people reach their potential and live long and healthy lives

Development goals

Pacific Community• 600 employees

• Headquarters in Noumea

• Regional offices in Suva and Pohnpei

• Country office in Honiara

• Field staff in Lautoka and other Pacific Island sites

• Working languages - English and French

• Wholly owned and governed by our 26 members

• Conference of the Pacific Community:

– Ministerial-level governing body

– Meets every two years

• Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA):

– A committee of the whole of Conference

– Meets to decide on SPC’s work programme and governance issues

– Makes decisions in years Conference does not meet

• Audit and Risk Committee appointed by CRGA

Governance

• We work with our members, donors and other partners to address national and regional development priorities

• We deliver technical, scientific, research, policy and training services

• We draw on skills and capabilities from around the region and internationally

Our approach

Climate change and disaster impacts

• We use a multi-sector approach in responding to our members’ development priorities

• We support the empowerment of Pacific communities and sharing of expertise and skills

• Major cross-cutting issues include: climate change, disaster risk management, food security, non-communicable diseases, gender equality, youth employment

Our approach

Protecting critical resources

• To protect the sustainability of the Pacific tuna fishery (annual catch = 2.6 million tonnes; value = US$ 5–7 billion), we:

– Collect and analyse oceanic fisheries data and provides advice to countries and agencies

– Research the projected effects of climate change

Healthy islands, healthy peopleWe support:

• Measures to reduce high rates of non-communicable diseases, e.g. heart disease and diabetes

• The Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network, for better surveillance of outbreak-prone diseases (e.g. dengue, measles) and responses

Geosciences

As the region’s main provider of geoscientific services, we:

• Assist with assessments, e.g. of ocean and onshore mineral resources, maritime boundary data collection, coastal protection

• Provide mapping and surveying

• Share guidance on scientific and technical aspects of seabed mineral resources

• Contribute to geoscientific and geotechnical understanding of causes of environmental vulnerability

Climate change and disasters

• We work with Pacific Island governments and communities to respond to the risks and impacts of climate variability and climate change

• Our multi-sector approach includes support for human rights, protection of environments and cultures, food security, health and improved infrastructure

Conservation• We are renowned for our

innovation in conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture

• Our Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees in Fiji:

– Conserves Pacific food crops and new material from international genebanks

– Multiplies and distributes crop planting material to regional growers

Affordable energy

We provide support for:

• Assessing petroleum use and pricing, planning and management of fuel imports

• Sustainable energy projects giving people access to clean, affordable energy

Safe shippingAs the regional agency responsible for Pacific maritime issues, we:

• Support compliance with international safety standards for ships and ports

• Provide training in maritime compliance auditing , including port security

• Work in partnership with countries to improve search and rescue coordination, communication and planning

Human rights and equality

• We encourage the interpretation of international human rights in the context of Pacific cultures

• We provide policy advice, technical support, training and advocacy services in priority human rights areas

• This includes gender equality, violence against women and children, disability

Education

We support:

• Improved educational assessment in the Pacific

• Quality standards for Pacific education

• Improvements in classroom achievement, mainly in literacy and numeracy

• A register of regional qualifications and standards to facilitate benchmarking and labour mobility

Statistics for development

We maintain the Pacific regional statistics database (National Minimum Development Indicators):

• 200+ indicators on the development status of specific sectors in each country

• Information on population health, national economies and labourmarkets, agriculture and fisheries

Valuing culture

• We value the role of culture and traditional knowledge in development

• Our technical support boosts the growth of cultural industries

• We are the custodian of the Festival of Pacific Arts

www.spc.int