Noumea, New Caledonia (SPC) – The French Development Agency (AFD) and the Pacific Community (SPC) have signed a funding agreement to implement a commitment by the President of France, François Hollande, to provide the Pacific Community with a high-level international climate change expert.
The appointment of Sylvie Goyet to the position of SPC Director, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change, is the final step in a process that began with President Hollande’s commitment during a High-level Dialogue on Climate Change at SPC headquarters in November 2014.
The High-level Dialogue brought together Pacific leaders among more than 150 representatives of Pacific Community member countries and territories, alongside development partners.
It highlighted the determination of the Government of France to assist Pacific countries and communities in addressing the major challenge of adapting to climate change, particularly in light of the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris, which begins in just over 100 days.
Ms Goyet’s main duties will be coordinating the broad portfolio of projects that SPC is carrying out in the area of climate change and incorporating the concept of environmental sustainability into all of SPC’s work, so as to increase the international organisation’s effectiveness.
Speaking at a signing ceremony, SPC Deputy Director-General, Cameron Diver, said that by signing the agreement, SPC will be able to improve the efficiency of its efforts on behalf of Pacific Community members.
“The agreement also serves as a concrete example of the partnership between France, in their capacity as the host country of SPC headquarters, and our organisation in response to the major development issue of climate change,” Mr Diver said.
According to the Director of the Noumea AFD Office, Karine de Frémont, funding for this high-level expert confirms the support that France and AFD intend to provide to Pacific countries in implementing their development and adaptation-to-climate-change strategies.
Ms Goyet will be based at SPC headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia.
