EU Commissioner Mimica visits Pacific region and announces €54,5 million for climate change mitigation and climate relevant actions

EU Commission Neven Minica Photo: European Union

Brussels, 1 June 2016 " Today, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development,  Neven Mimica, will begin his visit to the Pacific Region, where he will announce 

new support for post cyclones Pam (in Vanuatu) and Winston (in Fiji) recovery  and response to the effects El Niño (for the most affected six Pacific  countries)and together with New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray  McCully and New Zealand Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett, will leave for a  joint official visit to Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tuvalu. The Commissioner will 

conclude his visit in New Zealand by co-hosting a high-level conference on  energy, agriculture and climate change in the Pacific. The visit will also be an  occasion to expand the cooperation with New Zealand in energy with Tonga and  Nieu, as well as in agriculture in Vanuatu. 

EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, said: 

"The European Commission is amongst the Pacific's leading partners, not only in the 

struggle against climate change, but also in achieving sustainable development in the 

region. In addition to the €634 million allocated for the Pacific Region in the period 2014-2020, 

we will be contributing additional 54,5 million for climate change mitigation and climate 

relevant actions. We value the strong foundations of our partnership and remain committed to 

contribute to the wellbeing of the citizens of the Pacific."

Visit to Papua New Guinea, 1 June

Commissioner Mimica will take part in the EU-ACP Summit and will hold a series of 

bilateral meetings. First, the Commissioner will meet Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea,

Peter O'Neill, to discuss cooperation in areas of mutual benefit and deepening economic 

and trade ties. 

The Commissioner will sign a financing agreement worth €10 million with the Prime

Minister of Fiji, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, to support the rehabilitation effort in the rural 

areas most affected by tropical cyclone Winston. 

In December 2015 the EU announced support to finance emergency actions in countries 

affected by the extreme weather phenomenon ‘El Niño’. The Commissioner will announce 

additional financial support of €14.5 million for the Pacific to strengthen food security and 

build resilience in the most exposed countries, namely Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, 

Fiji, Marshal Islands, Micronesia and Palau. 

The Commissioner will also hold a bilateral meeting with the Secretary General of the 

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Dame Meg Taylor. 

Visit to Vanuatu, 2 June2

Commissioner Mimica will meet with Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and other members of 

the government to discuss, among other things, post cyclone Pam recovery, development 

cooperation and climate change. The Commissioner will also announce an additional €10 

million to support Vanuatu's post cyclone recovery process in the rural and agricultural 

sector. To further enhance this commitment, the Commissioner will sign a Joint 

Declaration together with his New Zealand and Vanuatu counterparts on cooperation in 

the agricultural sector. Together with New Zealand's ministers, Commissioner Mimica will 

also visit an EU funded project - Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre

(VARTC) as well as Nanda Blue Hole, a high potential site for agro-tourism development

benefiting local producers and businesses. 

VARTC contributes to the economic development of Vanuatu through applied research,

improved plant materials and cattle, providing training in agriculture and breeding, and 

providing scientific and technical information. 

Visit to Kiribati, 3 June 

Commissioner Mimica will meet the President of Kiribati, Taneti Mamau, and together with 

New Zealand ministers visit three projects: 1.Tungaru Central Hospital, where he will hand 

over a new healthcare waste incinerator that will significantly reduce the health and 

environmental risks currently associated with the management of the hazardous waste 

produced by the hospital and its laboratories; 2. Inaugurate the new offices of Kiribati 

Water and Sanitation in Outer islands project, which improves and maintains the water 

and sanitation infrastructure in eight of the selected outer islands; 3. Environmentally Safe 

Aggregates for Tarawa project, where he will hand over vital equipment that will 

contribute to the conservation of Kiribati's coastline, by making safe aggregates available 

to the building sector. 

Visit to Tuvalu, 4 June 

Commissioner Mimica will meet Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga and other members of the 

government and together with New Zealand ministers visit three EU funded projects: 1. 

Princess Margaret Hospital, where the Commissioner will hand over a new healthcare 

waste incinerator to improve the management of hazardous waste; 2. "borrow pits" 

remediation project, which came to represent an important health and environmental 

hazard; 3. a land reclamation project to help increase capital Funafuti's land area.

Visit in New Zealand, 6 – 7 June

Commissioner Mimica will co-host the Pacific Energy Conference with New Zealand's 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. The Commissioner will sign the expansion of 

the EU-New Zealand Energy Partnership to include Niue and Tonga and confirm the 

expansion of the Partnership to the new sector of agriculture/rural development, starting 

with Vanuatu.

Commissioner Mimica will also announce that the EU will make a special allocation of €20 

million to the EU Investment Facility for the Pacific, to leverage investment projects in 

sustainable energy and agriculture in the region involving the private sector.