BY NED GAGAHE
Minister of Finance Harry Kuma says Solomon Islands is at the forefront of climate change and the country has experienced the full brunt of its impacts and the reoccurrence of natural disasters.
Kuma made these statements at the gathering to launch the Solomon Islands Roadmap for improving access to climate finance and public spending at Heritage Park Hotel last week.
Kuma said the country as an island archipelago is experiencing an unprecedented scale of extreme weather events such as heavy rainfalls, flash floods, increasing intensities of cyclones, sea-level rises and coastal erosions.
“It is clear warning and message that these have threatened our security, challenged our economy, and impacted the livelihoods of many of our rural communities, cultures and sustainable developments.
“Disaster losses can represent a major portion of our country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and impeded economic and social development to our country.
Kuma said the impacts of climate change and disaster risks remain a top priority for the government and these are clearly articulated in Policy frameworks such as National Development Strategies, National Adaptation Plans, Solomon Islands Climate Change Policy and Disaster Management plans.
He said Solomon Islands alone cannot response effectively without accessing global climate finance to support its interventions.
“Unlocking access to these funds is very important and I urge development partners, line ministries, NGOs and the private sector that our collaborations is very important for a resilient Solomon Islands.” Kuma said.
The document- Solomon Islands Roadmap for improving access to climate finance and public spending is a five-year plan 2022-2027 developed by Solomon Islands Government in collaboration with UNDP Gov4Res project and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).
