Setting the scene for the UN mission in Niue

Niue, a small island developing state with a land area of 260 square kilometers and a population of about 1700 is an untouched paradise.

However, from the perspective of the UN Sustainable Development Goals there are still some challenges and needs of Niue which the United Nations in the Pacific is working with the Government to address.

The UN’s new framework for assistance to Niue  is reflected in the UN Pacific Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) that will guide UN engagement in the region over the next 5 years.

A team from the UN Multi Country Office serving the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau are in Niue to discuss with Government, the development of a specific country implementation plan that will effectively operationalise the UNSDCF in a way that is meaningful to Niue.

The team is led by Resident Coordinator Dr Simona Marinescu, who is joined by Assistant Resident Representative for the UNFPA Office in Samoa Tuliau Sarah Faletoese, UNDP GEF SGP Programme Management Specialist Lilomaiava Filifilia Iosefa, and UNDP Governance and Poverty Programme Analyst, Taupau Joseph Mulipola. 

They will hold consultations with relevant ministries, civil society organisations and the private sector.

The engagement with the Government of Niue and other partners, began with a meeting between the UN team, the Secretary of the Government, Peleni Talagi and Acting Head of External Affairs Nola Morrisey to inform the purpose of the visit and update on UN agencies active individual programmes and joint programmes supporting development in Niue across different sectors.

“It is so good to reconnect again in person with the Resident Coordinator Simona Marinescu and her delegation after the Covid 19 travel restrictions because the support of various UN agencies across different sectors is significant” according to the Secretary to Government Peleni Talagi.

She reassured the full support and participation of government ministries to the CIP consultation and the dialogue with the RC and delegation to begin with, was the opportunity to discuss other areas of common interest to work together.

The CIP consultation is a crucial process, as this is where the UN listens to the people of Niue as they voice their specific development concerns and requests for UN support.

The main objective of the UNSDCF 2023-2027, is to improve the lives of people in the Pacific through development support organised along four key pillars, namely: People, Planet, Prosperity, and Peace.

“It is so good to learn from our meeting that Niue’s priority is on the lives of people and emerging from the impacts of Covid 19, the public service is tailored to serve the needs of the people,” according to Resident Coordinator Simona Marinescu.

She added that the Niue continues to improve in terms of its development priorities and it’s a demonstration that the country has the right socio-economic vision.

Niue endorsed the UNSDCF 2023-2027 in November 28th 2022 and the UN following this visit reassures the Government of Niue of more visible and constructive support and close working relations with the UN agencies that have mandates to serve Niue.