Visit by Mr Mose Saitala, Director, Commonwealth Pacific Governance Facility

Mr Mose Saitala, Director of the Commonwealth Pacific Governance Facility (CPGF) will visit the Cook Islands from 5 to 7 May 2010. Mr Saitala, a Tuvaluan national, was appointed this year, having previously worked for the UNDP’s Governance Programme and regional organisations such as the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Mr Saitala will call on the Prime Minister, Hon. Jim Marurai, the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Robert Wigmore and will meet with Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Dr Jim Gosselin, and other government officials to introduce the Commonwealth Secretariat’s newly-established office.
The CPGF was launched on 8 April 2010 in the Solomon Islands. The CPGF was developed in collaboration with regional governments and development partners to support good governance objectives set out in the Forum Leaders Pacific Plan. The Facility represents the Commonwealth’s direct response to the priority needs of its membership in the region and the Commonwealth’s commitment to supporting its vulnerable members.
The CPGF will focus specifically on: Strengthening democratic institutions and processes; Improving the capacity and effectiveness of critical governance institutions, in particular those aimed at improving better utilisation of public funds and assets; Assisting governments to provide their people with access to information; and Assisting governments to develop policies for land mobilisation and development.
Mr Saitala will assess through consultation with national stakeholders what the needs of the Cook Islands might be in terms of the above areas and how the CPGF might be able to support needs prioritised by the Cook Islands.

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