Latest press releases
Bakhodir Burkhanov: ‘My Fiji Shark’ Launch
This collaboration is focused on innovative resource mobilization with the private sector in Fiji. Businesses globally have a big role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Conservation Effort to Preserve Life Below Water
A new initiative designed to support marine ecotourism and the Sustainable Development Goal 14 was launched today, marking a new era in marine conservation. The South Pacific Tourism Organisation in…
National Youth Parliament to Build Confidence of Young Leaders
As part of efforts to engage youth in national politics, 50 young women and men are currently gathered in Honiara for the 4th National Youth Parliament.
Western Province Women Raise Gender Policy Priorities with Provincial Government
Women representing wards across Western Province highlighted key provincial women’s priorities and made recommendations on how to address them during a dialogue with Members of the Provincial Assembly…
New report shows steady progress on Human Development for Pacific Island states
Fiji, Palau, Samoa, and Tonga remain in the High Human Development category of the latest Human Development Index and are joined by the Republic of Marshall Islands which is included in the index for…
Regional Conference Highlights Role of Political Parties in Democracy
The development of political parties that can represent citizens in an inclusive and accountable manner is one credible pathway to a stable and effective political system.
Strengthening Vanuatu’s Response to Natural Disasters
The Government of Japan and UNDP provided the Government of Vanuatu with critical equipment today, which can be deployed for rebuilding community infrastructure for people relocating to surrounding…
Secretariat Staff Graduate from first Parliamentary Corporate Management Course hosted in the Pacific
Recognising that well-structured, appropriately staffed and resourced parliaments are essential for vibrant democracies, over 20 participants from nine Pacific parliaments graduated from a Corporate…
Youth Peacebuilding Innovation Forum empowers Social Entrepreneurs and Changemakers
The Youth Peacebuilding Innovation Forum in Auki, Malaita Province aimed at helping young people use innovation to spark change in their communities concluded yesterday.
Peacebuilding Innovation Forum inspires Malaita Youth to be Social Problem Solvers
In response to the need for new approaches to address social issues, more than 200 young people from across Malaita Province are in Auki to attend the Youth Peacebuilding Innovation Forum this week.
Training to Benefit Regional Parliaments
The Parliament of the Republic of Fiji, in partnership with the UNDP and McGill University of Canada is currently hosting regional participants to a two-week intensive management course specifically…
Regional Training of Trainers and launch of the Fiji Police Force knowledge tools
Ensuring early access to justice in Fiji and building police capacity to deliver such justice are key objectives of a five-day regional training organised by the Fiji Police Force including members of…
Helen Clark highlights Women and Youth during Solomon Islands visit
Helen Clark, former Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, yesterday ended her four-day visit to Solomon Islands. During the visit, Ms.…
Project to Support the Achievement of National Energy Targets for Tuvalu
The small Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu faces several energy challenges, arising mainly from the lack of indigenous fossil fuel sources and remoteness.
Close to 30,000 rural ni-Vanuatu to be migrated to electronic banking
Addressing low usage, cost of travel and lack of opportunities to transact, the National Bank of Vanuatu has announced the migration of close to 30,000 of its rural customers to electronic and mobile…
The Role of Parliament in promoting the Strategy for Development of Samoa and Sustainable Development Goals
A two-day seminar aimed at recognising and promoting the significant role that Members of Parliament play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals will be held in Samoa on the 22 – 23…
Regional Exchange benefits Vanuatu Parliamentary Committees
In recognising the significant role of Parliamentary Committees in scrutinising legislation and providing oversight, the Secretariat for the Parliament of Vanuatu benefited from a two-day capacity…
South-South Cooperation: Bank of Sierra-Leone Officials Undertake Study Visit to Fiji
Officials from the Bank of Sierra Leone, a West African state, are in Fiji this week to observe and share knowledge with the Reserve Bank of Fiji on the development of regulatory sandboxes.
Strengthening Access to Justice for All Fijians
This is an exciting opportunity to flag issues of interest, for the attention of all, so that we can be aware of them, learn from your expertise, and do more research into these very important…
Teachers encouraged to champion financial education in their communities
“Financial Education may start in the classroom, but it has the potential to benefit whole families”, Erik Scholte, Second Secretary at the Australian High Commission, said while closing a week-long…
Financial Inclusion Scholarship expanded to all South Pacific Countries
The United Nation’s Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) has announced the launch of its 2018 Reuben James Summerlin (RJS) Scholarship for Pacific Islanders active in the Financial Inclusion…
Fijian Government budget bolsters financial inclusion
The announcement of the Fiji 2018 – 2019 budget has been met with encouragement by the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme as direct actions are being made to deepen financial access in Fiji.
Tuvalu Seeks to Increase Women’s Representation in Upcoming Elections
More than 20 women representing different communities in Tuvalu are engaged in a five-day capacity building session that aims to increase the interest and the level of participation of women in the…
Stakeholders convene to discuss the sustainable management of construction materials
The four-day workshop will facilitate a business-to-business knowledge exchange on quarry management best-practices to improve the performance of the sector and contribute toward inclusive and…
Innovation allows real-time monitoring and evaluation for Financial Education in the Solomon Islands
Thirty-eight teachers from three Rural Training Centres of the Anglican Church of Melanesia participated in a second round of financial education training on 21 July at the Garanga Rural Training…
India training set to enhance climate early warning systems in the Pacific
Seventeen Pacific representatives traveled to Roorkee, India for a one-month intensive and specialized training as part of UNDP's Climate Early Warning Systems in Pacific Island Countries Project.
Western Highlands Province to embed Financial Education into provincial TVET curriculum
Western Highlands Provincial Administration and the United Nation’s Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme have formalised a partnership that will see financial education embedded into the curriculum…
SINPF announces nationwide roll-out of micropension product
Following the successful pilot project last year, the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) has announced a nationwide roll-out of their micropension account for Solomon Islanders active in…
Budget Transparency Vital for Democratic Governance
In recognizing the importance of budget transparency and the role of civil society’s ability to analyse budgets and effectively participate in the National Budget process, more than 90 representatives…
Safeguarding the biodiversity-rich landscapes of Palau
project which will link biodiversity conservation to sustainable economic activity in Palau has been launched today with the signing of a partnership between the Government of the Republic of Palau…
USD$2.25 million to Boost Vanuatu’s Electoral Office
A commitment of USD$2.25 million made by the Government of New Zealand towards supporting the work of the Vanuatu Electoral Office will support the capacity development of the Electoral Office and the…
Practice Parliament Boosts Women’s Confidence as the Solomon Islands General Election Nears
50 enthusiastic women across the eight Provinces of the Solomon Islands mostly met as strangers but now leave the Capital more enthused and empowered to participate as candidates in any general…
UNDP to launch electoral support project in Nauru
A new two-year project to strengthen the capacity of the Electoral Commission and create a more inclusive and transparent electoral process was announced today by the Electoral Commission of Nauru and…
Practice Parliament for Women to Level the Playing Field for Women’s Political Participation
As a response to gender norms that continue to work against women’s entry into politics, 50 women across the eight provinces of the Solomon Islands are currently gathered in Honiara for the Second…
Getting back on track with timely support provided at his village
When informed that his application was approved, Sekove Lili looked over his new farm and breathed a long sigh of relief. He will soon be assisted by a social welfare scheme provided by the…
Graphic Design Contest launched to raise NCD awareness
The Pacific Community and UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji through the Wake Up! Project are launching a graphic design contest for youth from the Pacific to raise awareness on NCDs and their risk factors.
UNDP re-affirms technical and capacity support for the reporting of weather and climate data
The Fiji Meteorological Office’s daily tasks to provide accurate and timely weather and climate information received a boost with the official handover of equipment that will ensure that the country’s…
Building capacity of local experts in post disaster needs assessment and disaster recovery
A country challenged with disasters triggered by various types of natural hazards, the Government of Vanuatu welcomes the opportunity to strengthen strategic planning for the recovery phase of natural…
Training for regional stakeholders on post-disaster needs assessment and implementing recovery strategies
Representatives of Pacific Island governments are part of a regional workshop this week learning how to determine the economic and social costs of disasters that can then inform recovery strategies to…
New initiative to boost economic growth in Kiribati
The Government of Kiribati today signed an agreement with UNDP on an initiative that will seek to foster income generation for poor rural households, improve the livelihoods, overall income and…
“Floating Budget Analysis” to boost Parliaments’ capacity to review budget in the Pacific
Lessons from the budget analysis model applied by the Parliament of the Republic of Fiji has been replicated in the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands. The support during the 2018 budget…
Projects targeting environmental conservation launched in the Marshall Islands
Over 25 participants gathered in Majuro today to officially launch two national projects as part of the Global Environment Facility Pacific Ridge to Reef programme.
Cook Islands Women Parliamentarians Caucus to Boost Equal Representation
With the establishment of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus, Cook Islands aims to further advance the effective participation of women at the highest decision-making body: the legislature.
Regional Parliament Community Unite to Support Tonga in Hour of Need
Parliaments throughout the Pacific including Australia and New Zealand with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have rallied behind the Tonga Legislative Assembly to ensure…
Launch of the Fiji Access to Justice Assessment
The rationale for the Access to Justice Assessment is data collection and analysis across the justice sector, which will serve as the foundation for an evidence-based approach to justice reform and…
Evacuation drill tests preparedness plans for schools in tsunami prone areas
A tsunami drill in Suva, Fiji, this week provided an opportunity for school management, disaster management officials, government officials and local enforcement agencies to test preparedness and…
Japan Government Pen Deal to Support Six Pacific Parliaments through UNDP
The Government of Japan today signed a USD$5.2m agreement with the United Nations Development Programme which will allow its current parliamentary development work to be scaled up and replicated to…
New study reveals extent of stigma and discrimination confronting people living with HIV in the Pacific
A new study has found that people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the Pacific islands are experiencing high levels of stigma and discrimination, resulting in social exclusion and…
New partnership looks to create Pacific wide microinsurance solution for coastal fisheries sector
Many Pacific Islanders depend on coastal fisheries for both food and income but the sector is vulnerable to natural disasters, including cyclones, which can expose them to severe risks.
Training Boosts Role of Parliamentary Committee Chairs and their Deputies
The Chairpersons and Deputies of the 17 Permanent Committees of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Parliament, are currently engaged in a two-day capacity and knowledge building workshop that aims to enhance…
Solomon Islands holds Development Finance Assessment inception workshop
Policymakers discussed the preliminary findings and recommendations from the Solomon Islands’ Development finance assessment (DFA) at a workshop held in Honiara this month
Youth are the future of climate resilience
When the vulnerability of small island countries to climate change is reported in international media, it is often accompanied by images of houses and roads inundated with seawater, families standing…
Cook Islands Parliament Speaker’s Debate on the SDGs focuses on Mental Health
Following the success of the first Parliament Speaker’s Debate on the Sustainable Development Goals, a second debate, on Thursday 8th February, brought together people to openly discuss issues around…
Cook Islands MPs briefed on proposed Ocean Legislation
A two-day capacity building workshop designed for Members of the Cook Islands Parliament, provided the platform for open and robust discussions on the soon to be tabled Maritime Zones Bill and the…
New Zealand and UNDP Strengthen Partnership in support of Pacific Parliaments
Vanuatu has become the fifth country in the Pacific to receive support from the United Nations Development Programme through a three-year Parliament strengthening project with funding from the New…
Landowners Unlock Potential in Development Minerals
Representatives of community resource owners from the Central and Western Division of Fiji are currently gathered in Nadi for a five-day, training of the trainers (ToT) workshop on enterprise skills,…
Political Participation of men and women key to achieving sustainable development
A two-day validation workshop convened select male Members of Parliament (MPs), from 10 Pacific Islands countries, to build on existing gender equality activities that makes the participation of women…
Prioritizing community needs after disasters
The island country faces a range of disaster threats including typhoons, droughts and storm surges, and the two-day workshop aimed to strengthen the community and government’s understanding of…
UNDP Reaffirms Support to Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Hon. Rick Hou has welcomed a delegation from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to discuss their support to the Government and the People of Solomon Islands…
Strengthening Public Accounts Committees Considered at South-South Exchange
A two-day capacity building seminar for PAC members from the Parliaments of Cook Islands, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Samoa with the aim of building the capacity of the committee leadership and…
Strengthening health systems to better control HIV and TB in Pacific island countries
To effectively control HIV and tuberculosis (TB) in the Pacific there is a need to strengthen overall health systems. This includes, equipping medical professionals with the required tools and skills…
Fiji & Solomon Islands, learn how to build an Inclusive Digital Payments Ecosystem
The UN based Better than Cash Alliance (BTCA) are in the Pacific this week to advocate government ministries in Fiji and the Solomon Islands to transition from cash to digital payments to advance…
Regional Meet Sets Platform for Robust Data Collection on SDG 16
The complexity of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) itself and the lack of easily gauged data, have been identified as major challenges, particularly for Pacific Island Countries.
Transforming private sector engagement to build business and community resilience
Business leaders, government officials, representatives from the United Nations and Pacific regional agencies gathered in Bonn for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23), showcased successful…
More Youths Graduate from Peacebuilding and Livelihood Training
The fourth batch of youths graduated this week in the peacebuilding and livelihood skills training, delivered in close partnership with the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace,…
UNDP empowers Vanuatu’s young entrepreneurs through the Youth Co:Lab Initiative
UNDP in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the Vanuatu Youth Council and the Vanuatu Young Entrepreneurs Council, hosted a three-day National Dialogue on Youth…
Safety Drill Prepares Solomon Islands Schools for Tsunamis
The first tsunami drill at schools in the Solomon Islands mobilized nearly 400 students and teachers, testing the schools’ emergency management plans and newly constructed evacuation routes.
United Nations in Solomon Islands celebrates 72nd UN Day
Staff members of all the United Nations (UN) agencies in Solomon Islands came together at the UN Joint Presence Office (UNJPO) located at the ANZ Haus, to mark the 72nd anniversary of the UN.
Hansard Training to Boost PNG’s Parliamentary Oversight Role
The crucial role of Hansard in supporting Parliaments in many countries to undertake their full constitutional mandate in representing the interests of citizens, legislating and providing oversight of…
Investigative Interview Training of the Trainers Course for Fiji Police Force
Ensuring early access to justice in Fiji, and enhancing the capacity of the Fiji Police Force to deliver such justice to all Fijians, are key objectives of the five-day training-of-trainers for the…
First Ever ‘Youth Peacebuilding Innovation Forum’ Inspires More than 250 Youths
More than 250 young people attended Solomon Islands’ first ever ‘Youth Peacebuilding Innovation Forum’ held this week at the National Auditorium, Museum grounds in Honiara. The 3-day event has been…
South-South Learning to Boost Secretariat functions of Tonga and Fiji Parliaments
A south-south learning exchange between the staff of the Fale Alea ‘o Tonga (Parliament of Tonga) and the staff of the Parliament of the Republic of Fiji is currently underway with the overall aim to…
Pacific Integrity Agencies enhance ability to investigate public sector misconduct and corruption
The United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project, in partnership with the Pacific Integrity Network and the Office of the OmbudsmanTonga, opened a three-day Advanced Investigations Training…
Partnership launched to develop affordable insurance to build more disaster resilience
A new partnership between two United Nations programmes is expected to yield innovative and cost-effective insurance solutions for Pacific Islanders and small businesses in the region.
New study reveals gaps in Pacific HIV prevention efforts
Findings from a new joint study by the UNDP, UNICEF and the University of New South Wales indicate an urgent need for reforms in Pacific island countries to adequately address HIV and STIs among…
