The Conference brought together national policy-makers, legislators, civil society, the private sector and development partners to discuss how they could address the global economic crisis in the Pacific.
Government delegates from16 Pacific island countries as well as more than 60 observers from donor agencies, academia, international and regional organisations attended the Conference.
BIOGRAPHIES OF SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS
Speakers at the Official Opening of the Conference:
1) Chair: Honourable Sela Molisa, Minister of Finance, Government of Vanuatu
2) Welcome Address by Honourable Edward Natapei, Prime Minister of Vanuatu
3) Keynote Address by Miss Helen Clark, Chair of the United Nations Development Group (Bio)
Speakers at Plenary 1 'Impact of the Crisis on People - Pacific Perspectives' include:
1) Chair: Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (Bio)
2) Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Bio)
3) His Excellency Anote Tong, President of Kiribati
4) Dame Carol Kidu, Minister of Community Development, Papua New Guinea
5) Mr. Larry Greenwood, Vice President, Asian Development Bank
6) Dr. Jimmie Rodgers, Director General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Their short bios can be accessed from here
Speakers at Plenary 2 'Actions taken by countries in response to the crisis' include:
1) Chair: Ms. Anupama Rao Singh, Regional Director, United Nations Children’s Fund, East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (Bio)
2) Mr. Simeon Athy, Director-General, Prime Minister’s Office, Vanuatu
3) Honourable Niko Lee-Hang, Minister for Finance, Samoa
4) Mr. Ben Graham, Special Adviser, Office of the Chief Secretary, Republic
of Marshall Islands.
Their short bios can be accessed from here
Speakers at Plenary 3 'Actions taken by countries in response to the crisis' include:
1) Chair: Mr. Larry Greenwood, Vice President, Asian Development Bank
2) Honourable Kerai Mariur, Vice President and Minister of Finance, Government of Palau
3) Mr. Pita Wise, Permanent Secretary for National Planning, Government of Fiji
Their short bios can be accessed from here (Forthcoming)
Speakers at Plenary 4 'Inclusive Economic Growth and Social Policies' include:
1) Chair: Mr. Ajay Chhibber, Regional Director, United Nations Development Programme
2) Honourable ‘Otenifi Afu’alo Matoto, Minister of Finance, Planning and Public Enterprises, Government of Tonga
3) Mr. Anthony Hughes, Former Governor of the Central Bank of Solomon Islands
4) Dr. Shiladitya Chatterjee, Senior Advisor, Asian Development Bank
5) Dr. Rathin Roy, Director, International Policy Centre, Brazil
Short bios can be accessed from here
Speakers at Plenary 5 'Rejoinder/Summary of Sessions' include:
1) Chair: Ms. Charmaine Scotty, Secretary of Justice, Government of Nauru
Speakers at Plenary 6 'Climate Change and Green Growth' include:
1) Co-chairs: Honourable Lotoala Metia, Minister of Finance & Planning, Government of Tuvalu &
2) Mr. Iosefa Maiava, Head, ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific
3) Ms. Sachiko Yamamoto, Regional Director Asia Pacific, International Labour Organization
4) Honourable Niko Lee-Hang, Minister of Finance, Government of Samoa
5) Mr Kosi Latu, Deputy Director, South Pacific Regional Environment Programme
Short bios can be accessed from here
Speakers at Roundtable A 'Impact assessment at national levels' include:
1) Chair: Honourable Loteba Redfern, Minister of Labour & Human Resources, Government of Kiribati (bio)
2) Honourable Lotoala Metia, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Tuvalu
3) Ms Elizabeth Wright, Director of Policy and Planning, Office of the Prime Minister, Cook Islands
4) Ms Tufui Faletau, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Tonga
5) Discussion panelists: Ms. Alison Woodhouse, Economist, Pacific Department, Asian Development Bank
6) Mr. Matt Davies, Director, International Monetary Fund/Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre
7) Mr. Gyorgy Sziraczki, Senior Economist, International Labour Organization
Speakers at Roundtable B 'Impact assessment at community levels' include:
1) Chair: Honourable Olove Jacobsen, Minister of Health, Government of Niue
2) Honourable Minister Vita Skilling, Ministry of Health, Federated States of Micronesia
3) Honourable Natan Teewe, Minister of Finance & Economic Development, Kiribati
4) Mr. Siopili Perez, Finance Manager of Nukunonu, Tokelau
5) Mr. Nicholas Gagahe, Government Statistician, Solomon Islands
6) Dr. Isiye Ndombi, Representative, United Nations Children’s Fund
7) Mr. Dirk Jena, Regional Director and Representative, United Nations Populations Fund
8) Ms. Elizabeth Cox, Regional Programme Director, United Nations Fund for Women Pacific
Short bios can be accessed from here
Lunch speakers at the conference include:
1) Honourable Bob McMullan MP, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Government of Australia
2) Ms. Merilyn Tahi, Coordinator of the Vanuatu Women's Centre
3) Mr. Mark Ingram, Chief Executive Officer, Business for Millennium
Their short bios can be accessed from here