LocationsSuva, Fiji – The Ministry of Finance in Tonga and the Ministry of Economy in Fiji shared approaches and lessons learned in their role of risk informing development into central finance systems and financing instruments in a peer exchange session undertaken online on Monday 26 July 2021.
Facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji, through the Governance for Resilient Development in the Pacific (Gov4Res) Project, the session brought together representatives from the Ministries of Finance in Tonga and Fiji to exchange their knowledge and experience of mainstreaming resilience into national budgeting and planning systems and financing instruments to finance climate resilient development.
During the session, the collective expertise of participants reconfirmed that the Ministries of Finance play a critical role in strengthening systems and processes to ensure that all national development is adequately addressing cross-cutting issues including climate change, disaster risks and gender and social inclusion.
The Tongan Ministry of Finance has made significant progress towards integrating resilience into the Ministry’s planning and budgeting systems in recent years. This has included the creation and staffing of a Resilient Development and Financing Division (RDFD), to strengthen the Ministry’s capacity to support the achievement of the national resilient development agenda.
As highlighted by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of the Resilient Development and Financing Division, Ministry of Finance in Tonga Saane Lolo, “Resilience often comes in late [in project development]. Now, once funding is approved, the division is undertaking an appraisal with our project appraisal checklist to ensure resilience is incorporated into all development projects”.
Sione Tokai, Senior Economist, RDFD, Tonga MoF and Vineil Narayan, Acting Head of Division and Climate Finance Specialist, CCICD, Fiji MoE presenting at a peer exchange session. (Photo: UNDP)
Participants from the Tonga MoF, the Fiji MoE and the UNDP Gov4Res project. (Photo: UNDP)
The Fijian Government has strategically placed the Climate Change and International Cooperation Division (CCICD) within the Ministry of Economy to better climate sensitise national development and planning. A new Project Development Unit (PDU) is in the process of being established and two staff positions will be supported by the Gov4Res Project. This Unit will focus on the development of bankable projects that mainstream climate change action.
Acting Head of Division and Climate Finance Specialist, Climate Change and International Cooperation Division, Ministry of Economy in Fiji, Vineil Narayan said, “In Fiji, climate finance and development finance are considered one and the same and what we are championing is moving away from projectized funding to a more programmatic approach”.
Practical outcomes from the dialogue include the identification of sector focal points as an opportunity for central units to work more effectively across all line ministries. Similarly, utilizing corporate and strategic plans as key entry point for strengthening the inclusion of cross-cutting issues. Following the completion of this session, the two ministries will continue their collaboration and share learning on related issues including risk screening processes, climate budget tagging and resource mobilization linking to internal reform and mainstreaming. The Gov4Res project will facilitate further peer exchanges between the two ministries and other Pacific Island countries to help them work collectively towards a more risk informed development.
Background of the Project
The Gov4Res Project is working together with Pacific Island governments to ensure that countries adapt their decision making and governance systems towards more risk-informed development. The Project, implemented by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji is partnering with a range of partners including the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
For more information, please contact:
Saane Lolo, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of Resilient Development and Financing Division, Ministry of Finance in Tonga, Email: slolo@finance.gov.to
Vineil Narayan, Acting Head of Division and Climate Finance Specialist, Climate Change and International Cooperation Division, Ministry of Economy in Fiji, Email: vineil.narayan@economy.gov.fj
Lisa Buggy, Risk Informed Development Specialist, Gov4Res Project, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, Email: lisa.buggy@undp.org
Summer Lee, Partnership, Donor Liaison and Communications Specialist, Gov4Res Project, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, Email: summer.lee@undp.org
