7 Mar 2005

EU gives Forum US$4m for tuna and environment projects

8:27 pm on 7 March 2005

The European Union has signed an agreement with the Pacific Islands Forum to fund two new regional projects worth more than 4 million US dollars.

One project, called the Development of Tuna Fisheries in Pacific ACP Countries, will be implemented by the Honiara-based Forum Fisheries Agency in conjunction with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in Noumea.

Its goal is to increase economic benefits to the 14 Pacific ACP countries through better management of its tuna resources.

The other project is the Pacific Environment Information Network which will be implemented by the Apia-based Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme over a three-year period.

It builds upon earlier work to establish environment information networks across all Pacific ACP countries and is aimed at sharing information to plan environment strategies and initiatives.