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The Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility Team Leader Sean O’Sullivan Statement at
51st meeting of the SPC's Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA), and 12th Conference
Warm greetings from the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility, also known as PRIF. Thank you to the Pacific Community for including us in this 51st meeting of the Council of Representatives of Governments and Administrations and 12th Conference 2021.
My name is Sean O’Sullivan, I lead the PRIF Coordination Office in Sydney.
Allow me to provide a brief overview of PRIF, who we are, what we do and our work with SPC.
Who we are
The Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility or PRIF is a multi-development partner coordination and technical assistance facility to support infrastructure development in the Pacific.
We have 14 Pacific member countries, who are also members of the Pacific Community and CROP agencies and our development partners include ADB, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, the European Union, the European Investment Bank, Japan and the World Bank Group.
What we do
PRIF has very active infrastructure working groups where development partner staff meet regularly to share their work, collaborate, and coordinate infrastructure assistance to the Pacific.
We also have a TA program covers infrastructure planning and management in the Pacific and supports partner and member country activities.
At this point I want to highlight our infrastructure planning services to help countries prepare priority national infrastructure plans. Recently, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Palau governments have endorsed their PRIF supported National Infrastructure Investment Plans. We hope to work with other Pacific countries and we encourage Pacific countries to seek PRIF support as we believe our infrastructure planning services can contribute to post COVID-19 recovery as countries seek to stimulate their economies and provide jobs.
Collaboration with SPC
Following talks in 2020, PRIF continues to work with SPC in several areas.
We believe this is important because we have common members and share common priorities, including energy, transport, ICT, water and sanitation, climate change and resilience.
In close collaboration with SPC, PRIF completed the 2021 Pacific Infrastructure Performance Indicators. The publication provides an important reference to track Pacific country statistics for energy, telecommunications, transport, solid waste and water and sanitation sectors.
PRIF also provided support to SPC in developing the Framework of Action on Energy Security in the Pacific 2021-2030, which was recently endorsed at the Forum Leaders’ meeting. This framework will guide partners and CROP agencies' regional energy-related activities.
PRIF supported a scoping study on a Regional Approach for Water Sector Training in the Pacific, in close consultation with SPC. The study is intended to inform and coordinate PRIF partner support for water training in Pacific Island countries.
Finally, PRIF has been working with SPC to develop a regional asset register to inform PCRAFI’s risk exposure information and support country asset management. In partnership with SPC, a regional training will be held in early 2022 on the PRIF Asset Condition Assessment Methodology Manual developed in close consultation with SPC.
For information on PRIF’s work, please visit our website theprif.org
Thanks for your attention.
Sean O’Sullivan
PRIF Team Leader
PRIF Coordination Office
[email protected] or [email protected]