13 August 2026, Apia – Wallis-et-Futuna and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) have taken a key step to build a more resilient environment for Pacific territory with the signing of a Strategic Partnership Framework (SPF).
SPREP Director General, Mr Sefanaia Nawadra, signed the approved SPF during the fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting (5EBM), chaired by Wallis and Futuna.
Signing of the SPF by relevant authorities of the Territory will take place upon the delegation’s return in Wallis-et-Futuna.
“This is a very important partnership for Wallis and Futuna as we believe it is going to make a huge difference in our work to protect our environment and our communities,” said Mr. Jean Paul Mailagi, Member of the Environment, Infrastructure and Planning Committee of Wallis and Futuna and SPREP Troika Chair.
“On behalf of our islands and our communities, I would like to thank the Director General of SPREP and your staff. We are delighted to be here today and witness you signing this agreement, and we look forward to working with you to ensure its successful implementation.”
A SPF is a high-level agreement that identifies a member country’s environment and resilience priorities and confirms mutual commitments between the member and SPREP for addressing these priorities.
The Strategic Partnership Framework follows dialogue and consultation between SPREP and representatives of the Territorial Assembly of Wallis and Futuna, the Territorial Environment Department, and the Policy Coordination and Development Department (SCOPPD) of the Prefecture of Wallis and Futuna, with the aim of strengthening the collaboration.
SPREP Director General, Mr Nawadra, congratulated Wallis and Futuna.
He noted that the SPF reflects a shared commitment to strengthen the integration of Wallis and Futuna into SPREP's regional initiatives by promoting knowledge exchange, capacity building, and cooperation among Members in support of the Territory's environmental priorities.
“One of the challenges we face as an organisation is to be able to provide services to territories, mainly because of funding arrangements we use. One of the main objectives of the SPFs is to better coordinate SPREP’s work in-country, and we feel this is a very important step.
“I want to acknowledge France and initiatives such as Kiwa that has allowed us to serve the territories to address the needs that they have.”
The 2nd SPREP Executive Board Meeting in 2020 endorsed the development of Country and Territory Strategic Partnership Frameworks (CTSPFs). CTSPFs are high-level agreements that guide SPREP’s engagement at a national level, increase country and territory leadership and ownership regarding SPREP’s activities, and achieve greater alignment between regional and national strategic priorities.
The SPF aims to provide strategic direction for all engagement between SPREP and the Territory of Wallis and Futuna; strengthen the engagement, leadership and ownership of the Wallis and Futuna in the development and implementation of SPREP projects and activities, support the environmental management of the territory and strengthen its resilience to climate change.
It also aims to enhance the coordination and delivery of SPREP services and technical support as well as increase the visibility of the outcomes and impacts achieved through the partnership.
The fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting (5EBM) is held at the Pacific Climate Change Centre/SPREP from 12-13 August 2026.
SPREP’s Executive Board includes the Troika of past, present and future chairpersons of the SPREP Meeting, and representatives of Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Metropolitan, and French speaking Member countries of SPREP.
The 21 Pacific Island Member countries and territories 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, 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, development partners, donors, our CROP family, and stakeholders.
For more information on fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting, please contact: sprep@sprep.org