Pacific Centre: Connecting Countries to Knowledge

Getting closer and smarter in responding to the development needs of the Pacific

In response to the call for development reform, UNDP has opened in Fiji its first knowledge centre focused on small Islands developing states in the Pacific. The centre will boost aid efficiency by providing policy advice and technical back stopping to 15 countries in the region.

By connecting the region to a global network of development experts and local knowledge, the centre will help the organization be more closely tuned in the development needs of the countries and better respond to some of the critical challenges in the area of crisis recovery, governance, poverty alleviation and the achievement of the MDGs, energy and environment in the Pacific.

Pacific Centre is complemented by two additional centres, one in Colombo focusing on trade, human development, and HIV/AIDS prevention, and a centre in Bangkok focusing on Democratic Governance, Energy and Environment and Crisis Prevention and Recovery.

“In response to the Tsunami crisis, we were able to deploy rapidly some experts with the necessary skills to support the affected countries in their recovery efforts and provide services in the area of assessment, community based preparedness, aid coordination, disaster information and financial tracking systems”
-Dr. Hafiz Pasha UNDP’s Assistant Secretary-General for Asia and the Pacific .

“With the increasing demand for technical know how, these centres will be operating as one stop shops connecting people, institutions and networks across the region and brokering professionals and experiences to respond effectively and timely to the demands of the countries”, he added.