Samoa and PNG engage in Peer to Peer exchange

“As neighbours in the Pacific, it makes a lot of sense that we have strong regional ties and shared experiences,” saidChief Executive Officer of the Samoa Ministry of Finance, LaveaTupaimatunaIulai in welcoming senior officials from the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Treasury and National Planning and Monitoring Departments,and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). 

“While Samoa offers our experiences and opens up our systems and processes for sharing and learning, I also look forward to learning from our PNG colleagues experience and their systems and processes.” Mr Floyd Lala from PNG’s Department of National Planning and Monitoring, expressed the appreciation of his government for the Samoa government’s support to PNG in sharing their country institutions, systems and policies saying, “We would like to know, how Samoa has been successful in improving its development and its systems with very limited resources”. He noted his strong support for these peer to peer exchanges promoting more exchanges of this sort across other areas and sectors in the Pacific.

“These peer to peer exchanges are an excellent example of the co-ordinationand cooperation we speak of when we talk about regionalism in the Pacific,” said the PIFS Secretary General, Dame Meg Taylor. “Our leadersin 2009 called for the Pacific to find our own solutions to the unique shared challenges in our region. I am grateful to the Government of Samoa for their continuing leadership and commitment to supporting south-south cooperation in the Pacific region. I also commend the Government of PNG for their interest and commitment to continuously improve, and to also learn from,its Pacific neighbours.”

The CEO of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peseta Noumea Simi, who haspreviously engaged in three Pacific peer reviews and promoted the Pacific Forum Compact South – south attachments, said “This is not only a practical implementation of the SAMOA Pathway’s call for durable and sustainable partnerships for development but, it is also a demonstration of regional cooperation for strengthened regionalism.”

Attached with the Samoa Ministry of Finance are Mr Floyd Lala and Mr Albert Andumukan from the Department of National Planning and Monitoring and Ms Eileen Gini from the Department of Treasury. They are supported by Ms Charmina Saili from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

This is the 4th such attachment since May 2014, and the 7th Forum Island Country to benefit from this initiative that is facilitated and cofounded by the PIFS,and hosted by the Samoa Government. The PNG contingent are in Apia until the end of this week.

Caption: Front sitting (from Left) Floyd Lala, Assistant Secretary UN/EU Regional Programmes and Development Effectiveness, PNG Department of National Planning and Monitoring; Albert Andumukan, Assistant Secretary Provinces & Administration Branch, PNG Department of National Planning and Monitoring; LaveaTupaimatunaIulaiLavea CEO, Samoa Ministry of Finance, and Eileen Gini, Assistant Secretary, Budget Policy, PNG Department of Treasury.

Back standing (from left) LitaLui, Assistant CEO Aid & Debt Management Division Samoa Ministry of Finance; Leiataua Henry Ah Ching, Assistant CEO, Economic Planning and Policy Division, Samoa Ministry of Finance; ReilinaStowers, Principal Budget Officer, Samoa Ministry of Finance; TofilauLaeSiliva Finance Sector Coordinator; and EteviseMoananu, Senior Aid and Debt Management Officer, Samoa Ministry of Finance