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The relocation of the ESCAP Pacific Operation Centre (EPOC) to Suva was formalized on Monday 12 May 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the Headquarters Agreement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Civil Aviation, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau and Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP.
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| Ratu Epeli with UN Undersecretary/UNESCAP Executive Secretary, Noeleen Heyzer during the signing of the agreement. |
The relocation of the UNESCAP Pacific Operations Centre (EPOC) from Port Vila to Suva was decided at the 60th Annual Commission Session of ESCAP by Resolution 60/6 of 28 April 2004. In 2005, the Government of Fiji agreed to the request of ESCAP for the relocation and also the extension of the appropriate legal status to the Organisation on its relocation to Fiji.
The Executive Secretary in her statement at the signing ceremony said that the signing of the HQ Agreement “symbolizes the strong commitment of the Government of Fiji towards a vibrant and effective ESCAP, and Fiji’s desire to contribute to the economic development, social progress and ecological sustainability of the Pacific”.
In response Ratu Nailatikau thanked Ms. Heyzer for taking the time soon after assuming her responsibility as Executive Secretary of ESCAP in January this year to visit the Pacific Island region in March and meet with Ministers and heads of regional organizations in Noumea, New Caledonia.
The Minister commended the Executive Secretary for her commitment to making the “P” in ESCAP (which stands for the Pacific) more visible in her work programme and added that this recognition of the special development needs of the Pacific Island region “is refreshing, commendable and vastly noticeable”.
The Minister further added that Fiji looks forward to the expansion of the EPOC office in Suva and working with the Executive Secretary to realize her noble endeavour to address the region’s special development needs.
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No:0732
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