Pacific Islands Forum members have held their first briefing with Israel on development cooperation, identifying regional priorities and opportunities for technical assistance, training and capacity-building.
The talanoa was held at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, bringing together Heads of Mission and senior officials in person and online to discuss how Israel’s development cooperation programme, MASHAV, could respond to Pacific needs.
Forum Secretary General Baron Divavesi Waqa welcomed Israel’s Ambassador to Fiji and Pacific Island Countries, Maya Yaron, and the Head of MASHAV, Ambassador Eynat Shlein, who is visiting the region for a series of engagements.
The meeting provided an opportunity for Forum members to outline their national and regional development challenges and identify areas where cooperation with Israel could deliver practical benefits for Pacific communities.
Yaron said partnership must begin with listening to Pacific countries and understanding their priorities.
Water security was among the issues raised during the discussions, with Yaron highlighting the need to match identified needs with appropriate technical expertise, training and capacity-building opportunities.
Shlein shared examples of MASHAV’s development cooperation work globally and in the Pacific.
Her visit to Fiji follows engagements in Papua New Guinea and will continue to Samoa, providing further opportunities to discuss Pacific development priorities and potential areas of cooperation.
The Forum Secretariat said the talanoa was intended to explore practical partnerships and knowledge-sharing opportunities that respond to the needs of Forum members and deliver tangible benefits across the Blue Pacific Continent.
