The Pacific Community (SPC) has pledged to assist the Solomon Islands Government in hosting the 9th Pacific Water Ministers Forum, which is scheduled to take place later this year.
The Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) Secretariat will collaborate with SPC to support the government in organizing the forum.
As part of the preparations for the Pacific Water Ministers Forum, SPC is finalizing a mechanism framework that will integrate the forum’s meeting outcomes into the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting, scheduled for September this year.
Aligning the outcomes of the Pacific Water Ministers Forum with the PIF is crucial to ensuring that water-related solutions are presented at the highest level.
The Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Mines, Energy, and Rural Electrification (MERE), Honourable Bradley Tovosia, MP, is a strong advocate for improving water quality in the Pacific Islands.
During the 8th Pacific Water Ministers Forum in the Cook Islands last year, Honourable Tovosia was vocal in calling for water issues to be highlighted and discussed at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) level.
Following Tovosia’s call, SPC has taken the initiative to lead discussions on hosting the forum in Honiara and, more importantly, to ensure that water issues are adequately addressed at the PIF level.
In a brief meeting this week with the Acting Prime Minister, Honourable Bradley Tovosia, MP, SPC’s Deputy Director for the Disaster and Community Resilience Program, Exsley Taloiburi, raised the possibility of having water as a legacy outcome of the PIF.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, Energy, and Rural Electrification, Dr. Chris Vehe, suggested that the Pacific Water Ministers Forum should consider an outcome where all Pacific countries establish dedicated ministerial portfolios responsible for water.
PS Vehe also proposed the idea of appointing “water champions” in all Pacific Island countries.
The Pacific Water Ministers Forum will take place before the PIF meeting in September.
As a stakeholder, the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) will work closely with SPC and the local organizing committee to ensure the smooth rollout of the 9th Pacific Water Ministers Forum.
PWWA envisions “Sustainable water and Sanitation for Pasifika.” Its mission is “To strengthen advocacy, collaboration and capacity building for sustainable and resilient water and sanitation”.
- OPMC
