BY NED GAGAHE
Finance Minister Harry Kuma launched the Solomon Islands Roadmap for improving access to climate finance and public spending document at the Heritage Park Hotel on 2nd December 2022.
Kuma launched the document with Permanent Secretary National Planning Susan Sulu and Berdi Berdiyev, UNDP’s Deputy Residence Representative.
The document is a five-year plan 2022-2027 developed by Solomon Islands Government in collaboration with UNDP Gov4Res project and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).
The key line ministries involved in the creation of the document are Ministry of Finance Treasury (MoFT), Ministry of Environment Conservation Disaster Management (MECDM) and Ministry of National Planning Development Coordination (MNPDC).
The roadmap was intended to support the Solomon Islands Government on two key areas; one is access to climate finance and two is, improving resource management and enhancing coordination between the government, development partners and stakeholders in achieving sustainable and inclusive growth.
Yesterday’s launching ceremony was attended by development partners, members of the Climate Finance Steering Committees, Non-Government Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and representatives from keyline government ministries and private sector.
In his keynote address Kuma said the climate finance access roadmap is an important guide towards accessing global climate finance but more importantly for strengthening of coordination and collaboration at all levels.
“I feel particularly honored this morning so please allow me to welcome you all to the launching of the Solomon Islands Roadmap for Improving Access to Climate Finance Access Roadmap. 2022-2027 which is known as the Climate Finance Access Roadmap.
“First of all, I would like to start by thanking you all for coming today.
“I would like to thank our development partners, for picking up some of the recommendations highlighted in the Solomon Islands Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Finance Assessment Report and the Scoping Report on the Establishment of the Climate Finance Unit and addressing them.
“I would like to thank the UNDP Governance for Resilience Development in the Pacific Project and PIFS for supporting my ministry in resourcing the Climate Finance Resilience Unit and for supporting the two main components or pillars of the roadmap, Access to Finance and Improving Resource management. Also, I would like to thank ADB for supporting a consultant to help establish the climate finance resilience unit.” Kuma said.
Kuma also thanked key line ministries, development partners, NGOs, CSOs and private sector for their contributions towards the development and during consultations and collaboratively review the roadmap.
He said the launching marked the great work and collaboration between different stakeholders and also the lead ministry in terms of climate change.
“And also progress to access global climate finance to respond effectively to climate change impacts and become resilient.” Kuma said.
