Local Governments in Pacific region to meet in Port Moresby

Local Governments in the Pacific region to meet in Port Moresby for the 2014 Pacific Local Government Forum

Suva, Fiji, 17 March, 2014 - Over 100 local government leaders and managers from eleven countries in the Pacifici region will come together in May for the 2014 Pacific Local Government Forum (PLGF). The biennial conference, organised by the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Pacific, will this year be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The event will take place from the 19-23 May and will also feature a Local Government Ministers and Mayors Meeting, a Local Government Research Roundtable and a 2-day Local Government Conference and Exhibition among the many highlights.

CLGF Pacific will be working in partnership with the Papua New Guinea Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs and the National Capital District Commission to host the PLGF which is the biggest gathering of local governments in the Pacific. The 2014 PLGF is to be officially launched by its hosts on 19 March.

Local government plays a vital role in representing, empowering and building local communities, not just in the Pacific but globally, and this important contribution will be highlighted in the theme for the event, ‘Pacific Futures – Building our Local Communities’.

This event will set Pacific local government firmly in a global context, with a particular reference on the impact of climate change and the role of local government as a partner in the global development agenda post 2015. It will provide a platform for stakeholders to address the impact of a growing and diversifying Pacific on local government’s role in community engagement and service delivery. It will showcase case studies of good practice from across the region and provide a platform to debate new approaches to working in a more developmental way towards building more vibrant, resilient and inclusive Pacific communities.

Regional Director of CLGF Pacific Ms Karibaiti Taoaba said, “The PLGF takes place as the Commonwealth is celebrating 2014 as the ‘Year of Developmental Local Government’, and as the global community is debating the global development agenda and sustainability development targets to replace the MDGs. There is a rich debate taking place across the Pacific region, spearheaded by the PIFS, and the forthcoming SIDS conference in Samoa will be a further important opportunity to articulate the needs of small island states”.

The event is an important part of the CLGF Pacific regional capacity building program, supported by the New Zealand Aid Programme, Australian Pacific Leadership Program and International Women’s Development Agency.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Where and When? Grand Papua Hotel, Port Moresby, 19-23 May

• Among the speakers, the 2014 PLGF will include participation by mayors and town clerks from eleven countries in the Pacific region. Furthermore, Pacific Ministers for Local Government, senior government officials, local government experts, academics, researchers and development partners will also take part.

• Pacific Local Government Ministers Meeting: A high-level, high impact meeting that will pursue CLGF Pacific’s advocacy agenda aimed at raising the profile of local government nationally and regionally, delivering better local services, improving local governments role in economic development, and creating more sustainable and resilient Pacific communities. The meeting will also consider local government’s role in achieving the MDGs and shaping the post-2015 sustainable development goals.

• Pacific Local Government Research Roundtable: Hosted in partnership with the Papua New Guinea Institute of Public Administration, the roundtable will showcase the latest in local government relevant research from the Pacific region and deliberate the implications for local government policy and practice.

• Pacific Local Government Conference: A 2-day event designed to showcase good local government practices, initiatives and innovation in areas related to the theme of the PLGF such as local economic development, improving service delivery, rethinking revenues, leadership development, community engagement and climate change among others.

• Business Exhibition: For the first time, CLGF will be organising an Exhibition for members, development partners and service providers to showcase their products and services to delegates. All networking events will be held within or around the Exhibition.

For more information on the 2014 PLGF please email: events@clgfpacific.org.fj

ENDS

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