A farewell reception was held in Suva on 28 October for FDC’s outgoing and much loved Pacific Regional Representative, Luse Kinivuwai, ahead of her completion on 30 November and her migration to Australia. Luse will remain an associate with FDC. Some photos here.
For the last three years FDC has contributed to the workings of the APEC Business Advisory Council’s Advisory Group on Financial Sector Capacity Building and to the design of a proposed financial inclusion initiative across the APEC economies. APEC Finance Ministers met in Yokohama on 6 November and formally launched the APEC Financial Inclusion Initiative. More details here.
FDC will work with the Porgera Joint Venture in PNG over the next several months developing and delivering a tailored training on mentoring and monitoring and evaluation processes to support PJV’s Community Relations team on their ongoing implementation of its training programs. After the training, FDC will also provide ongoing technical assistance over a period of 4 months.
We are pleased to announce that Ms Annie Rogers will join FDC as Pacific Regional Representative on 1 December, replacing our valued incumbent, Ms Luse Kinivuwai. Annie has a BA in economics from USP and a Masters in Commerce (Economic and Finance) from UNSW. Annie has previously held various senior roles, including advisor to the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Fiji’s representative at the IMF, and CEO of the Fiji Islands Trade & Investment Bureau.
FDC has been contracted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community to review the Pacific Youth Strategy 2010 and produce the third edition of the Pacific Youth Report. Consultations will occur in French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Samoa, American Samoa and Fiji. This work will be completed in the first quarter of 2011.
FDC is pleased to announce that its project, “The Bottom Up Governance Leadership Program for Women in the Pacific” has won the inaugural United Nations Association of Australia award for NGOs, in honour of UN Day. These awards are made for an outstanding contribution to or development of projects or activities which advance the UN’s purpose. BGLP Project Manager Carly Stephan received the award, presented by the Hon Karen Struthers Minister for Services and Housing and Women, at a ceremony held on 19 October.
At a signing ceremony in Sri Lanka on 12 October 2010, the Executive Committee of the Banking With The Poor Network formally incorporated BWTP in Singapore. The incorporation took effect on 20 October 2010.
The Asia Microfinance Forum 2010 is underway in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Details are at asiamicrofinanceforum.org and a copy of the AMF program is available here.
In Colombo on 11 and 12 October 2010, FDC and BWTP are hosting, in collaboration with the SEEP Network and ADA Luxembourg, the third annual Asia Network Summit. Representatives of Asia’s national microfinance networks have gathered for two days to discuss ways of advancing their respective national microfinance industries. The agenda is here.
The Microfinance Pasifika Network has announced the 3rd Pacific Microfinance Week 2011 (PMW 2011) in Port Vila, Vanuatu from July 25 – 29. Representatives from microfinance institutions, development partners, commercial and central banks, learning institutions, government agencies and private companies interested in becoming involved in Pacific Microfinance Week 2011 to contact MFPN by email and to preserve these important dates in their 2011 schedules. Please see flyer for more details.