The 4th Meeting of the Conference of the Pacific Community endorsed SPC’s collaboration in the Pacific Plan to strengthen regional cooperation and integration.

The Pacific Plan was approved by Pacific Islands Forum leaders in October 2005.  While it is not a blueprint for regional development, the plan provides a platform linking the region’s developmental initiatives/priorities. It also acts as a central framework within which development partners can provide assistance to the region. The benefits of the Plan are intended to occur at the national level, but the coordination and, to a large extent, implementation of action on its stated regional priorities have been carried out by regional organisations.

SPC plays a key role in influencing decisions pertaining to key regional priorities of the Pacific Plan through its effective and active participation in the Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC). SPC provides policy briefs in key sectors such as food security, health, climate change, fisheries, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), land resources, human development etc.  This raises awareness and brings to the attention of Pacific leaders the importance in addressing these priorities in a strategic manner.

The four pillars of the Pacific Plan are consistent with the objectives of SPC’s previous (2003–2006) and current corporate plans (2007–2012). This means that all of SPC’s core business also forms an integral part of the Pacific Plan and vice versa. It also explains why achievements in implementing action on Pacific Plan priorities led by SPC have been easier to monitor and quantify (e.g.progress in implementing the Pacific Plan digital strategy) which is perhaps the most successful example to date of achievement against a priority.

SPC linkage of the Pacific Plan priorities with its Corporate Plan 2007-2012 priorities and programme strategic sectoral priorities addressing key outcome areas clearly depict the relationship and role of SPC in its implementation.