Charmina Saili, Regional Planning Adviser, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Fifth IHP+ Country Health Teams Meeting Intensifying action for better results 2-5 December 2014, Sokha Angkor Resort, Siem Reap, Cambodia South-South Cooperation in the Pacific Pacific Islands helping each other through Peer Reviews & South-South Attachments

Who we are - Pacific Islands Forum Pacific Peer Review & South-South Attachments Mechanisms Experience so far Lessons Learned from Peer Reviews & South-South Attachments OUTLINE OF TALK

WHO WE ARE: 16 Pacific Islands Forum Countries PNG 7M pop Niue 1,500 pop 3 key features Our diversity Common challenges Our “Pacific way” of working together - helping each other AUS 20 M pop Vanuatu 240,000 pop Samoa 180,000 pop Mix of LDCs, fragile states, Low, MICs & donor countries (Aus, NZ) 1 to 500 island nations & a continent! SIDS, isolation, dispersed pop high cost of services, limited capacities Highest ODA per capita, Aid fragmentation - High mission/project #s Low use of country systems Variable MDGs achievement

Government Health System Multi-lateral Partners (UN, SPC, WHO) Bi-lateral Partners (AusAID, NZ) ? MAL TB NCD GBV RH EPI IMCI MH HSS All development partners mean well…But… The devil is in the execution…….

Pacific Islands Forum Leaders concerned that despite significant development resources, the Pacific was lagging behind in achievement of the MDGs New development compact – Cairns/Forum Compact agreed in 2009 as a package of initiatives aimed to assist Forum Island Countries (with support of their development partners) to accelerate existing government efforts to achieve the MDGs by 2015 Peer Reviews & South-South Attachments key initiatives for cross learning/review amongst Pacific countries to strengthen systems, institutions & capacities to improve development results in the Pacific WHY PEER REVIEWS?

Pacific Island countries share similar development context and challenges. Peer to peer conversation and “pacific-specific home grown” learning amongst Pacific Island nations on what works and what doesn’t in development coordination Implementation is facilitated by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Collective commitment and responsibility of Pacific Island countries & development partners to implement WHY PEER REVIEWS?

Government systems & processes of national planning, budgeting, public financial management systems ;and Aid management systems and processes Development partners systems and processes of engaging with governments implementing their commitments to Paris and Pacific Principles of Aid Effectiveness WHAT DO PEER REVIEWS FOCUS ON & WHO ARE CONSULTED? Executive of Government – Prime Ministers/Presidents, Ministers of Finance, Planning and Foreign Affairs Legislature - Speakers of Parliament, Public Accounts Committees Senior Government Officials in all key sectors Development partners, NGOs & private sector representatives What peer reviews focus onWHO are consulted

 Country volunteers to undertake a peer review  Country chooses a team of up to 5 peer reviewers (3 partner country reps and 2 reps from development partners).  Country agrees on TOR with their Peer Review Team & Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat  Country approves final Peer Review Report  Country implements recommendations with support of development partners & monitored annually with PIFS HOW PEER REVIEWS WORK  Purpose is to be “helpful” – to hold a conversation as equals, as Pacific neighbours.  Find out what works well and what does not and promote this for regional learning  Offer helpful advise/possible solutions based on other country experiences in the Pacific but tailored to host country realities Country Led and Driven Peer Review Team works in partnership with host country

Manage database of peer reviewers from countries & development partners Invite peer reviewers on behalf of the host country Convene peer review team & provide brief on host country systems and processes Assist in finalising & obtaining approval of host government for peer review report Publish & upload peer review reports onto PIFS website and disseminate to member countries and development partners Role of the PIFS Facilitate & fund regional mechanism for South-south/triangular cooperation – technical assistance, attachments, mentorship amongst FICs Track and follow up implementation of FICs priority actions and report progress annually to Forum leaders Commission, document and disseminate widely case studies and best practices in the region on development coordination Facilitate the peer review processMonitor & facilitate support to implement recommendations

Peer Reviews 10 All 13 Pacific Forum Island countries completed reviews 40 peer reviewers (Cook Islands, FSM, Nauru, Niue, PNG, RMI, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand, UN, UNDP, UNESCAP, World Bank) Consulted with over 4,000 Pacific stakeholders 173 recommendations across 12 countries 80% focus on strengthening planning & aid management EXPERIENCE SO FAR – Peer Reviews 2010 Nauru, Kiribati 2011 Vanuatu Tuvalu Niue 2012 RMI Tonga PNG FSM 2013 Palau Solomon Islands Cook Islands Samoa

11 Supported by the PIFS, Samoa hosted 3 planning, finance and aid management officials from FSM, Solomon Islands, PNG, Vanuatu, and Nauru for attachments in May & October more countries seeking south-south attachments in 2015 CEO of Samoa Ministry of Finance and senior officials with the FSM and Solomon Islands senior officials from planning, budgeting, PFM and aid management, May 2014 EXPERIENCE SO FAR - Pacific South-South Attachments

Peer to peer “pacific-specific home grown” learning amongst Pacific Island nations on what works and what doesn’t in development coordination Sharing is more meaningful as it is framed within similar context of limited capacity, dispersed populations, geographical isolation Acknowledges and builds the existing capacity of Pacific development professionals Builds professional and personal networks across Pacific and development partner development professionals BENEFITS OF PEER REVIEWS & SOUTH SOUTH ATTACHMENTS

Pacific countries are using peer review recommendations to: – Reaffirm, support and drive already planned and needed country reforms to strengthen planning, budgeting, PFM and aid management – Establish institutions, systems, processes, policies and capacities to more effectively engage with development partners – Drive needed changes in development partner behaviour on aid fragmentation, budget support, aid predictability and use of country systems – Mobilize development partner support for strengthening systems of planning, budgeting, PFM, aid management Development partners using peer review recommendations to – Guide their engagement in strengthening country systems – Lobby with other development partners for more coherent support to Pacific countries How effective are the Peer Reviews in driving reforms of systems?

Respect for country soverignty, ownership – leadership by the host country to drive the peer review process Non intrusive, non confronting approach. – Country to country partnership approach a conversation among peers for mutual learning and benefit – Balanced approach to finding challenges but also good practices as well as “offering” tailored not dictating Pacific solutions to common challenges. Focus on “actions”/solutions rather on the challenges Solidarity – giving collective voice to common development coordination challenges across the Pacific countries Credibility of the Process: – Access to and interest of highest political leadership in country, region – Participation of senior and well respected officials as peer reviewers – Inclusiveness of consultation Key features of Peer Reviews that had the most impact?