Association maps way forward at annual event

Association maps way forward at annual event

Filipe Naigulevu Fiji Times
Saturday, November 25, 2017

CAPACITY building, institutional strengthening, exploring financing opportunities and more collaboration between members through peer to peer mentoring.

These were some of the key outcomes of discussions at the conclusion of the Association of Development Financing Institutions of the Pacific (ADFIP) 31st annual conference at the Holiday Inn Suva on Thursday.

The event brought together heads of finance institutions in the Pacific including development banks, housing corporations and commercial banks with discussions centered on the theme “Financing Solutions for ADFIP: New Opportunities”.

The AGM and conference began on Tuesday with meetings for the board and ADFIP members, and concluded on Thursday with a session for partners and stakeholders.

These included guests and presenters from regional and international organisations such as World Bank, the Private Sector Facility funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the UN Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

During the event, Bank of Cook Islands managing director Vaine Nooana-Arioka was elected as the ADFIP board chairperson for the coming year.

The newly-elected board members include Fiji Development Bank’s Nafitalai Cakacaka who will take the role of treasurer while Tonga Development Bank’s Leta Kami remains as secretary.

Anna Mendiola (Federated States of Micronesia Development Bank) and Matautia Rula Levi (Samoa Housing Corporation Ltd) also remain as members.

Newly-elected chairperson Ms Arioka said they also relooked at ADFIP’s current strategic plan 2014-2018 to review their key performance indicators.

“We did a medium thermometer check on this current strategic plan that runs from 2014 to the end of 2018.

“We did a check to see that our key performance indicators are still on track.

“Next year when we reconvene back here in Fiji we will be on our pathway of setting our new plan for 2019 and for the next five year.

“The four strategic objectives that we have at the moment is liven memberships, institutional capacities, knowledge building and regional partnerships.”

Ms Arioka said the new board had also experienced a “shift in dynamics” with the new heads of institutions and CEOs from the regional institutional members.

“What we are finding is that the new CEOs that are coming in have great respect and honour to carry on the legacy that our predecessors have left us,” she said.