Ministerial Meeting

Fourteen PICs sent Ministers or ministerial representatives to participate in the second stage "Ministerial Meeting on the Pacific Response to the ICPD PoA" held in Nadi, Fiji, on 23-24 November 1998. The guest of honour was the Hon. Dr. Apenisa Kurisaqila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Fiji Islands.

Mr. Jose Ferraris, UNFPA Representative, Fiji Sub-Regional Office welcomed the delegates and spoke on the close partnership developed between UNFPA and PICs in promoting the implementation of the ICPD PoA. He outlined the Pacific preparations for the ICPD+5 process.

Ms. Uyen Luong, Deputy to the Director and Chief of the East and South East Asia Branch, Asia and the Pacific Division, UNFPA Headquarters, thanked the Government of Fiji for collaborating with UNFPA in organising this important meeting and highlighted the important events planned for the ICPD+5 review process, especially the forthcoming Hague Forum and the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on 30 June – 2 July. The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Romulo V. Garcia, also addressed the official opening of the Ministerial Meeting.

The major outcome of the Ministerial Meeting was the issuance of a Communique and the adoption of The Pacific Response to ICPD PoA as the basis of the submission to the Hague Forum by the Pacific island country delegations.