“The Pacific-Europe Network for Science, Technology and Innovation (PACE-NET Plus1) held its first bi-regional policy dialogue platform in Auckland (NZ), on the 10th and 11th of December 2014. The main goal of PACE-Net Plus is to strengthen cooperation in science, technology and innovation (STI) and to support the bi-regional policy dialogue and networking between the European Union (EU) and the Pacific countries and territories, and within the Pacific region.
The Pacific is a long-term partner of the EU and is on the front line of major global challenges such as climate change and is a source of key natural resources.
More than 80 policy-makers, officials and scientists2 participated in this event, the purpose of which was to reflect on how to develop a regional strategic framework on STI, and how this could contribute to enhancing the global partnership between the Pacific region and the EU.
The outcomes of six thematic Think Tanks that were held this year in the fields of health, food security, climate change and natural resources, in the framework of the project, were delivered and contributed to policy recommendations for science, development and innovation.
A set of priority actions were defined that will strengthen the EU-Pacific global partnership, through the optimization of cooperation opportunities”.
The outcomes of this first bi-regional dialogue platform (to be posted on www.pacenet.eu) will contribute to draw the following steps to be implemented for the constitution of a long term institutionalized dialogue in STI between Europe and Pacific. The future platforms in Brussels (Belgium) in June 2015 and in Suva (Fiji) in mid-2016 will constitute two important milestones for this bi-regional dialogue.
1 PACE-Net Plus is a project funded by the European Commission to strengthen further bi-regional science, technology and innovation (ST&I) cooperation and dialogue between the Pacific Region and the European Union.
2 From Pacific Countries and Territories (Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga) and Europe (Austria, France, Germany, Malta, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Portugal, United Kingdom) and representing the main regional institutions (Pacific Islands Forum-PIF, Secretariat of the Pacific Community-SPC, University of the South Pacific-USP, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program-SPREP) or STI networks (Pacific Islands University and Research Network-PUIRN) and the European Union.
