Story | 06 Jun, 2017

Pacific leaders meet to share and inspire

Pacific leaders gathered last week in Nuku’alofa, Tonga at the fifth Green Growth Leaders’ Coalition (GGLC) Retreat to discuss critical green growth and blue economy issues affecting the region.

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Photo: IUCN Oceania / Epeli Nakautoga

The GGLC retreat held on May 24 to 26, was facilitated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) through its Pacific Centre for Environmental Governance and supported by the Australian Government through the Pacific Leadership Program (PLP).

Pacific leaders’ discussions included reflections on leadership journeys, with talanoa sessions framed around Green Growth notably the GGLC engagement with Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji. In addition, Blue Economy discussions focused on coastal fisheries and tourism, the interconnections and interdependencies with Pacific communities and ecosystems.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni said the retreat provided, “a safe, private space where leaders can gather and discuss common challenges, seek collective advice, share strategies for change and connect with their peers in the region, with an openness and freedom not available in other regional forums”.

Hon. Sovaleni also highlighted the ongoing development of the Blue – Green growth economy approach in Tonga, including the two-day Tonga National Dialogue on Green Growth in November 2016, officiated by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala and the recent  Tonga Blue Economy Dialogue [when], both important steps in Tonga’s path toward a greener economy.

The Australian High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga, His Excellency Andrew Ford, hosted leaders to a welcome reception and underlined the Australian Government’s support for leadership development in the region through the Pacific Leadership Program (PLP). Mr. Ford wished the delegates success in their deliberations and in the plans that will flow from the retreat.

Speakers at the retreat’s panel session on “Information and Communication Technologies: Enabling a blue/green future”, included Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister, Samoa’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Hon. Afamasaga Lepuiai Rico Tupai, and  Chairman of Digicel Pacific Mr. Pepe Christian Fruean.

Hon. Afamasaga Lepuiai Rico Tupai concluded the retreat by conveying the generous offer from the Government of Samoa to host the 2018 GGLC retreat.

Established in 2013, the retreat uses a talanoa based approach to discussion, combined with Chatham house rules where what is said in the talanoa remains private and confidential, unless the group agrees otherwise.  

 

For more information, about the GGLC in general or specifically on the GGLC Retreat please contact:

PCEG Communications and Research Officer Dawn Gibson on dawn.gibson@iucn.org or +679 331 9084
Main Office: +679 3319084, Web: http://iucn.org/oceania