(L-R) Easter Chu Shing, SPREP's deputy director general, SPREP's director general Sefanaia Nawadra, New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Dr Shane Reti, New Zealand's Minister of Health and Minister for Pacific Peoples. Photo: SPREP
A new funding arrangement to strengthen climate change resilience in the Pacific has been announced in Samoa.
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Secretariat of the Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) director general Sefanaia Nawadra announced the new funding at SPREP's headquarters in Samoa's capital, Apia.
Samoa was the last stop for the New Zealand Pacific Mission delegation who also visited the Cook Islands and Tonga.
"New Zealand is pleased to confirm additional support of NZ$15.2 million over three years to help SPREP strengthen the crucial role it plays in providing advice and support in the Pacific," Peters said.
"SPREP is focused on building Pacific resilience to the serious threats posed by climate change, and New Zealand's investment will ensure that we can continue to prioritise this.
"This is a significant contribution to support our collective efforts in combating the impact of the triple challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution on Pacific people and communities," Peters said.
SPREP is the regional organisation established by the Governments and Administrations of the Pacific charged with protecting and managing the environment and natural resources of the Pacific.
The headquarters is based in Apia, Samoa with other SPREP offices in Fiji, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Vanuatu.
Climate change
During the Cook Islands visit, the New Zealand government committed NZ$16.5m to the Cook Islands to tackle the impacts of climate change.
Peters announced the funding commitment in Rarotonga (Wednesday, Cook Islands time).
"New Zealand is supporting the Cook Islands with NZ$16.5m in funding to respond more effectively to the increasing impacts of climate change," he said.
Mark Brown, left, and Winston Peters in Rarotonga. 8 February 2024 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Eleisha Foon