FFA MEDIA RELSEASE – MAJURO, 4 th July 2023 – Fisheries Ministers from member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) have endorsed principles for engagement with donors during the 20th Forum Fisheries Committee Ministers meeting today under the leadership of the Honourable John Silk, the new Fisheries Ministerial Chair.
Fisheries Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the Principles of the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the 2009 Cairns Compact, and endorsed specific principles for application in the design and implementation of regional-scale oceanic fisheries development assistance partnerships between the FFA and donors.
The Principles for Forum Fisheries Agency Engagement in Regional Tuna Fisheries Project Partnerships with Donors sets out binding rules which include:
• Partnership projects should be based on clearly linked FFA-priorities, the FFA Strategic Plan, the FFA Regional Longline Strategy or other compatible high-level strategy agreed by the FFC to guide the direction of the Forum Fisheries Agency;
• FFA will not engage in a partnership which is based primarily upon the donor’s objectives and priorities, or which has been derived through an entirely separate donor-driven process of consultation with FFC Members;
• FFA will consider previous experience with donors when looking to engage with such donors in future;
• Conflicts of interest must be identified and managed where donor partners also have fishing interests in or around FFA Member waters without exception;
• Donor partners that also have fishing interests in or around FFA Member waters are to keep development assistance and fisheries policy separate and unlinked;
• All FFA Members should be fully included in the activities of a regional partnership project to be implemented by the FFA Secretariat
The Principles will apply from now onwards.
FFA Director General Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen congratulated Fisheries Ministers on this important decision which sets parameters for FFA’s engagement with donors and said, “With the increased interest in the region from external partners, these principles set out a valuable guide for FFA on engagement with donors and ensures that the FFA remains proudly Member driven.
