Latest news updates from IW projects worldwide

The Tenth Meeting of the Regional Scientific and Technical Committee will be convened in Pattaya from 17th-19th December 2008. This meeting is aimed at reviewing the terminal evaluation of the South China Sea project and progress to date with respect to the development of a GEF project for the implementation of the regional Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea.

The Fourth Mayors’ Round-Table meeting will be convened in Nha Trang, Viet Nam from 2nd-5th December 2008.

The Consultation Meeting on Integrated Management of the extended Drin River Basin was organised in Tirana, Albania, 24 November 2008 by the Albanian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Global Water Partnership Mediterranean (GWP-Med), with the financial support of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agenc

The Capacity Building Workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management, with particular reference to the conditions in the extended Drin River Basin was co-organised in Skhodra, Albania, 25-27 November 2008 by the Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med), the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE) and the GEF Lake Shkoder/Skadar

A challenge in implementing Disaster Risk Management in any region of the world is access to resources. In this respect, Pacific island governments have only limited means to execute initiatives related to natural disasters. Consequently, such initiatives must compete for funds with initiatives from other sectors such as health, education and defence. The Pacific Regional Disaster Risk Manag

The Acting Premier of Niue Hon Pokotai Sipeli launched the Niue Sustainable Coastal Development Policy in Alofi, last week (30th July). The launch was attended by the New Zealand High Commissioner in Niue, His Excellency Mr. Brian Smythe, Cabinet Ministers, Head of Departments and Representatives of the Private Sector and Communities.

Opening Address at the Workshop on the development of the Kiribati National Energy Policy and Mainstreaming of Energy - Honorable Kouraiti Beniato, Minister of Public Works and Utilities, Government of Kiribati Otintai Hotel, Tarawa: 4th August 2008

The International Year of Sanitation 2008, allowed partners working in the area of water supply, sanitation and hygiene activities in the Pacific region to come together to raise the profile of sanitation. As part of efforts taken to promote safe sanitation and hygienic practices, the Fiji School of Medicine launched the Sanitation Park with renewed efforts along with its Coalition Partners yes

The Ministry of Provincial Development and Habitat for Humanity Fiji signed the agreement for the Suva Vocational School Retrofit project in Suva today. Permanent Secretary for Provincial Development Manasa Vaniqi, Director of National Disaster Management Office, Joeli Cawaki and HFHF National Director Richard Counts signed the agreement on the project worth over $19 000. The project, a pilo

Cook Islands Senior Fisheries Officer Ngereteina George has spent the last two weeks at the Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) developing a Coral Reef Habitat Map for Aitutaki Lagoon. The Coral Reef Habitat Map for Aitutaki captures the present characteristics of the marine ecosystem which is critical as a management tool to address the economic and environ

Bangkok, Thailand (UN/ESCAP Information Services) . Knowledge and familiarity with information and communication technology (ICT) in the Pacific receieved a boost with the holding of a key United Nations training programme for some of the regions policy-makers and government officials. The United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology (UN-APCICT)

This evening disaster management specialists from the region met at the Suva Holiday Inn for the official launch of a new tool that could revolutionise disaster management throughout the Pacific. The Pacific Disaster Net (www.pacificdisaster.net) is a web-based portal that will help to link disaster management specialists and resources throughout the Pacific region. It will directly help Nation

Over the last decade the number of coastal and open ocean programmes collecting marine environmental data in the Pacific has grown substantially. Uptake and use of the data being generated by these programmes is relatively low amongst Pacific Island countries. A training workshop was therefore held in Nadi, Fiji, from 22-25 Sept 2008 with the aim of improving understanding and awareness of the dat