Caption: Peer Review Team with staff from the Solomon Islands Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination (MDPAC) during consultations for the Solomon Islands Peer Review. Standing L-R: Aaron Pita, Chief Planning Officer Social Sector Division, MDPAC; Allan Daonga, Under Secretary, MDPAC; Oscar Malielegaoi, Assistant CEO Budget Division, Samoa Ministry of Finance; David Smith, Deputy Head and Senior Economist, UNESCAP; Susan Sulu, Director Aid Coordination Division,MDPAC; Samuel Wara, Chief Planning Officer Aid Coordination Division, MDPAC; Alexander O’Riordan,PIFS Peer Review Consultant; Portia Domonatani, Forum Compact Research Assistant, PIFS; EvanWasuka, PIFS Communications Consultant. Sitting L-R: Lyn Legua, Director Budget and Planning Division, MDPAC; Collin Tavi, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, Department of Strategic Policy, Planning and Aid Coordination, Vanuatu Prime Minister’s Office; Ruby Zarriga, Former Deputy Secretary, PNG Department of National Planning and Monitoring;Charmina Saili, Regional Planning Adviser, PIFS.
Honiara, Solomon Islands, 10 September 2013: A peer review of Solomon Islands’ processes and systems of development planning, budgeting, public financial management and aid management is in progress in Honiara.
“The review is an important opportunity to share information and to learn about other experiences from the region,” says Allan Daonga, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination, Solomon Islands. “It is of particular interest to us to review these processes as we transition from post-conflict recovery to development.”
The Solomon Islands is the 11th Forum island country to volunteer to be part of the Peer Review process under the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination (Forum Compact).
Selected by the Solomon Islands Government, the Peer Review Team includes Ruby Zarriga, Former Deputy Secretary of the Papua New Guinea Department of National Planning and Aid Management, Oscar Malielegaoi, Assistant CEO, Samoa Ministry of Finance; Collin Tavi, Manager M&E Unit, Vanuatu Office of the Prime Minister and David Smith, Deputy Head, Pacific Operations Centre, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The team is assisted by a support team from the Forum Secretariat.
Over the weekend, the team will be meeting with representatives of government departments, non-government organisations, the private sector and development partners and will visit the provinces ofMalaita and Choiseul.
“The peer review is a conversation that we will have with stakeholders to find out what the good practices as well as challenges in Solomon Islands are that the region can learn from,” says Ruby Zarriga, Peer Review Team Leader. “We would also discuss the remaining challenges and how we as Pacificneighbours can share some possible solutions from our own respective countries.”
A report will be produced and released after approval by the Government of Solomon Islands including recommendations for the Government and its development partners at the end of the consultations.
The review will conclude on 20 September, 2013.
FORUM SECRETARIAT