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Laisa Taga, Editor-in-Chief
Australia, New Zealand, what’s going on? Are you going to play hardball every time things go against you?
Well, that appears to be the strategy. It is a strategy they have been using very effectively up until now. Every time things don’t go their way, they throw up the money card and threaten to pull the plug on funding.
Or they remind you that they’re pouring in a lot of money into your organisation and take heed! And that’s what is happening at SOPAC (the Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission).
Australia and New Zealand—the two giants in the Pacific Islands Forum—provide up to 16% of SOPAC’s total funding.
Under the 2010 budget, it amounts to F$5.5 million (Australia provides F$2.776725 and New Zealand F$2792212) out of SOPAC’s total budget of F$34,019618.
New Zealand and Australia contributions include their membership dues and programme funding. Of their total contributions, about 50% are for staff position support.
This year, they’ve been dragging their feet regarding their funding. Up until the SOPAC governing council subcommittee meeting in Suva on February 23, nothing was forthcoming from the two countries.
The feet dragging is understood to be related to a decision by the SOPAC council last year to defer the rationalisation of SOPAC. That decision was strongly protested by the two countries.
They wanted the rationalisation to be implemented by January 1, 2010. But that meeting was told that SOPAC needed more time before this could be done.
That decision prompted Australia to issue a threat that it will pull out its funding if the rationalisation process did not go ahead.
This drew the wrath of one island delegate who said: “If you want to walk, walk, if you want to run, run. SOPAC will survive with or without your funding.”
The Australian threat has angered the islands member countries of SOPAC. It has forced them to look at alternative (non-traditional) donors to replace New Zealand and Australian funding and to meet any budget shortfall.
LETTER FROM SUVA has been told a funder has already been identified and discussions are ongoing.
A regional source close to the scene said: “In fact we have spoken with the funder’s representative (who is understood to be located in Suva).
“The funder’s rep has gone back to the capital, and we should be hearing from them before the month is up. But it is looking good.
“However, SOPAC member countries are also talking to other possible funders. This will be a good opportunity for us to widen our net and see what is out there.”
SOPAC’s major funder is the European Union which provides some 65% of the organisation’s budget.
LETTER FROM SUVA has also been told that the EU had been approached to withdraw its funding of the regional organisation.
If the New Zealand/Australian funding is not forthcoming, it is going to put added pressure on SOPAC. And this could see some of its services forfeited and staff members retrenched.
“We don’t want that to happen. We want to ensure services are maintained and staff retained,” the source said.
But what will go if the money is not coming? According to an Issues Paper presented at the Suva meeting last month, five areas are going to be affected:
• Ocean and Islands.
• Community Risk.
• Community Lifelines.
• Corporate Services.
• Directorate.
That’s not all. Apart from the services provided by these various units to member countries, about 23 staff members, most of them experts in their fields, are likely to lose their jobs.
This will definitely not go down well with member countries and will only create a strong resentment of Australia and New Zealand.
Not only that, it will further fuel the distrust islanders have of Australia and New Zealand, who they say are trying to dictate the Pacific Islands agenda. Not a good start to the new year!
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