1 September 2025, Apia —The Partnership Dialogue ended on high notes with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) and the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The MOU was a result of recommendations from the Seventh Session of the Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting (PMC-7), which was held in Vanuatu in 2024. The initial engagement between PDF and SPREP arose from discussions on how early warning systems could be tailored to be more inclusive, ensuring that the information needs of persons with disabilities were fulfilled, enabling them to take action during severe climatic and weather events.
“Through the strength of our national organisations of persons with disabilities, and with the support of partners like SPREP, we will continue to advocate for and influence processes that ensure no one is left behind. This MOU symbolises our collective aspiration: to advance resilience, equity, and justice for all peoples of the Pacific, today and for generations to come. Together, we embark on this journey with optimism, unity, and a shared belief in the transformative power of partnership,” said Ms. Sainimili Tawake, CEO of the Pacific Disability Forum.
“Formalizing our partnership, strengthens collaboration in promoting inclusive, accessible, and rights-based approaches to environmental protection and climate change resilience. This partnership reflects a commitment to ensuring that the voices, rights, and leadership of persons with disabilities are central to sustainable development in the Pacific,” she added.
This collaboration represents a systemic shift toward disability-inclusive environmental governance, resilience, and sustainable development in the Pacific.
During the signing, Mr. Sefanaia Nawadra, Director General of SPREP expressed his joy saying “I am honored to be signing this MOU today, not only to cover the work that is carried out by the Climate Science and Information Programme (CSI) at SPREP and the work of the PMC, but for the work of SPREP in general. It is our commitment to ensure that we address issues of disability across all areas of SPREP’s service to the Pacific.”
“In the past few Convention of the Parties (COP) meetings, PDF has been a part of the Pacific Delegation and the Moana Pavilion hosted by SPREP, so this formal commitment is testament to our ongoing partnership to ensuring that no one is left behind,” Mr. Nawadra reaffirmed.
Established in 2004 and registered in Fiji in 2007, PDF works to advance the rights of persons with disabilities in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The MOU establishes a framework to promote disability-inclusive climate resilience, strengthen policies and systems for inclusive environmental action, and recognize persons with disabilities as partners and rights-holders in environmental initiatives. Collaboration will be centered on joint policy advocacy, information sharing, capacity building, and inclusive approaches to disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and accessible communication and data platforms.
Implementation will be guided by biannual meetings, a joint work plan aligned with CRPD principles, and shared monitoring and evaluation responsibilities. Specific technical cooperation will extend across climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity protection, environmental governance, waste management, data collection, and human resource development.
PDF will provide technical support on its ‘preconditions for inclusion’ framework, which encompasses accessibility, assistive technology, support services, social protection, community-based inclusive development, and non-discrimination.
The Thirty second SPREP Meeting of Officials (SM32) and associated meetings are taking place at Sheraton Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows in Samoa, from 1-5 September.
Guided by the theme “Sustaining our Pacific Environment in Harmony with our Cultures”, the SM32 and associated meetings bring together SPREP Members to discuss strategic issues pertaining to the organisation, and to approve the 2026-2027 Work Programme and Budget.
The 21 Pacific Island Members of SPREP are: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna. The five Metropolitan members of SPREP are: Australia, France, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
In our efforts to fulfil our vision of ‘a resilient Pacific environment, sustaining our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures’, SPREP is extremely grateful to our valued Members, partners, donors, our CROP family, and stakeholders.
For more information on the 32SM, visit https://www.sprep.org/sprep-meeting/2025/32nd-meeting-of-officials or contact [email protected]