SUVA (Pacnews) — The Young Professionals Scheme, an initiative borne out of the Pacific Plan, kicked off this month at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
Under this new initiative, six young professionals from the region will work at the Suva Secretariat.
“We have taken on the services of these young professionals in recognition of the need to foster the development of young people with policy skills within the region,” Forum Secretary General Greg Urwin said
“We also recognize the need to scale up human resources required for our strengthened policy mandates and the associated effective implementation of the Pacific Plan.”
Urwin said outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate students from diverse backgrounds would be assigned to the Forum Secretariat where their educational experience would be enhanced through practical work assignments.
“We hope to foster greater understanding of challenges facing the Pacific, while providing the Secretariat with the assistance of highly qualified young people,” Urwin said.
The young professionals will specialize in various fields within the four key areas of economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security.
The Young Professionals Scheme was established to progress Pacific Plan Initiative 15.4, which calls for exchanges and sharing of services and expertise for regional capacity building.
The Pacific Plan was adopted by Forum Leaders in 2005 as the region’s blueprint for development, cooperation and enhanced regional integration. It was recently revised in support of Leaders’ decisions taken during the Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Nadi, October 2006, ensuring the Pacific Plan remains a “living” document able to respond to the region’s challenges and emerging priorities.
The Forum Secretariat implements decisions by Forum Leaders, facilitates delivery of development assistance to member states, and undertakes the political and legal mandates of Forum meetings.