SPC Geoscience Division

SOPAC and technical partners coordinated assistance to help four Pacific Island Countries make recent maritime sovereignty history. In April 2010, representatives from the governments of Papua New Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands and the Kingdom of Tonga made successful presentations to the United Nations for their respective extended seabed areas. These submissions are made pursuant to the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea.

Two presentations were made in New York; the first was a joint presentation by the governments of Papua New Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia and the Solomon Islands for the joint Art 76 submission on the Ontong Java plateau. The second was a presentation by The Kingdom of Tonga for the south eastern area of the Kermadec Ridge.
The area claimed in the joint submission is for over 600,000 sq km of shared pacific seabed. The area claimed is larger than the combined land mass of the three pacific islands countries involved. It is also significant that for the first time, three Pacific Small Island Developing States have successfully worked together to conclude a joint MOU and submission to the United Nations.

Ms Kathryn Hawley, The Asia Foundation's Director - Pacific Program welcomes SOPAC staff to the grant and financial management workshop. Manila based TAF staff: Ms Maricel Dela Cruz and Ms Cynthia Ramirez are pictured with the workshop participants.

The Asia Foundation conducted Grant and Financial Management Training this month for SOPAC as part of the Foundation’s commitment to it’s partners. The two half-day session were conducted by the Director of Finance and Administration, Maricel Dela Cruz, assisted by Cynthia Ramirez, the Grants & Administrative Assistant, both from the Foundation’s Philippines office. Their visit was coordinated by TAF’s Director Pacific Program, Kathryn Hawley. The training provided those who attended a greater understanding of how the Foundation makes and manages grants in support of project activities. At the end of the sessions, the participants, from both the finance unit and the community risk program, have a stronger appreciation and clearer perspective on how to more effectively manage grants – substantively and financially.