7 August 2024
Suva, Fiji – The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management (MRMDDM) embarked on a crucial three-day Planning workshop today for the 2024-2025 financial year period.
Under the theme “Reaching New Levels of Excellence in all areas of our operations,” the workshop aims to review and improve the monitoring of the Ministry’s Annual Costed Operation plans and its auto linkages to the Division’s Business Plans, within its current 10-year Strategic Development Plan, to enhance its service delivery across the country, ensuring meaningful and quality outputs that will also bring about real behavioural change in the community.
In his opening remarks, Permanent Secretary for MRMDDM, Mr Isoa Talemaibua emphasized the workshop’s importance in refining the Ministry’s strategies and operations.
He expressed his expectations for a “significant increase in efficiency” across all areas including customer services, approvals, capital programme implementation, human resources, finance and logistics.”
Mr Talemaibua highlighted the need to remain proactive, uphold its core values and prioritize diversity, commitment, planning, purpose-driven actions, clear communication, capacity building, integration and collaboration, centralise functions, being relevant, to build resilient and sustainable communities while strengthening partnerships.
Mr Talemaibua also acknowledged the support of the UNDP Governance for Resilience (Gov4Res) Project team for their presence and participation.
Through the Gov4Res team, the UNDP has been instrumental in supporting the Ministry’s initiatives. This partnership is dedicated to advancing sustainable development goals as outlined in the Ministry’s strategic plans.
“Over the past years, UNDP’s support has brought significant changes to the Ministry’s development programme These include the development of our Strategic Development Plan, implementation of our joint Risk-Informed Development initiative, and the establishment of our Rural Development Database -purchase of a server, computers, laptops, and other essential equipment.
Gov4Res Project Manager, Ms Nicola Glendining praised the Ministry for its partnership and reaffirmed UNDP’s ongoing support. “The 10-year Strategic Development Plan that we developed together, and its roll out, has set a benchmark for risk informed subnational development in the Pacific region,” she said.
Earlier this year, the MRMDDM and the UNDP renewed their strategic partnership by signing a FJ$1.5 million agreement. This agreement will advance the integration of risk-informed approaches into community infrastructure in Fiji.
The partnership is made possible through the support of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Korea International Cooperation Agency, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The participants of the workshop include the Ministry’s senior officers, managers, district officers, provincial administrators, and key personnel. This workshop represents the first review of the 10-year plan since its implementation in 2021, with reviews scheduled every two years.
For more information please contact:
Risiate Biudole, UNDP Pacific Office, Communications Analyst, risiate.biudole@undp.org