Suva Fiji, 22 October 2020 – The Pacific Islands Development Forum, welcomed Mr Daniel Muñoz-Smith, the Global Green Growth( GGGI) Country Representative for Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu, together with his Team, to the Secretariat this morning.
Mr Smith paid a courtesy call to the PIDF Secretary General, Ambassador Solo Mara and met with the Team Leader, Program Management , Ms. Marilyn Tagicakibau and Coordinator Programme Management, Ms. Afsrin Ali for discussions on further synergies and avenues of collaboration between the Secretariat and the Global Green Growth Institute.
GGGI and PIDF are currently in the 2nd project year, of jointly implementing the Capacity Building to Strengthen Sustainable Implementation of Renewable Energy Technologies for Rural Energy Access project.
With the end goal to contribute to increased energy access and reduction of CO2 emissions through sustainable use of natural resources and renewable energy technologies in rural areas in Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and PNG and with the objective to strengthen informed and inclusive decision-making by resource owners and local government officials for integration of Green Economy (GE) and Renewable Energy (RE) into Local Level Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of Renewable Energy (RE) infrastructure for Rural Electrification.
The direct beneficiaries of this Capacity Building project, are Local Government officials (Sub-national, provincial, district, towns), and Traditional/Community Leaders from Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and PNG, including, with the conclusive result of 32 fully trained local Trainers/Facilitators (based in-country) and 3000 local government officials, traditional/community leaders and local technicians trained in green economy principles and renewable energy principles, operation and maintenance. The institutions (Provincial Councils, District Councils, Town Councils, Island Councils, Traditional/Community institutions/committees/etc.) that these people work for will also be direct beneficiaries of increased institutional knowledge in green economy and renewable energy.
