March 17-18, 2008 | Apia, Samoa

On March 17 and 18, 2008, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) organised a Regional Workshop in Apia, Samoa, on "Enhancing Good Governance and the Rule of Law in the Pacific Islands- The Role of Parliamentarians".

The Workshop saw the active participation of 18 legislators from the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, in addition to MPs from New Zealand and Sweden. Representatives of the Delegation of the European Commission, the UNDP Pacific Regional Centre, the Universityof South Pacific, as well as the High Commissioner of New Zealand to Samoa, Ms. Caroline Bilkey, attended the event.

The Program for the Workshop consisted of Presentations by each parliamentary delegation on the current Good Governance practices in their respective countries, interspersed with more informal reflections by a number of invited experts as well as the Legislators themselves. The Workshop also included an extensive Panel Discussion on the International Criminal Court (ICC) during which the different participants offered their views on the ICC and the assistance needed to enable ratification/implementation generally of the Rome Statute in the countries of the region.

At the end of the Workshop, all participating MPs agreed on a Plan of Action, reflecting their fruitful discussions, and as a useful tool for follow-up action. On the evening of the second and last day of the Workshop, the Legislative Assembly of Samoa, and Hon. Speaker Leiataua, kindly hosted a Farewell Dinner in honour of the Participants in the Workshop at the Legislative Assembly of Samoa.

PGA remains indebted to New Zealand's International Aid and Development Agency (NZAID), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlandsand the Legislative Assembly of Samoa, whose important support at this occasion made this PGA event possible. PGA also received the support of the European Commission for its Campaign for the Rome Statute of the ICC in the Pacific, and the core support of the Governments of Denmark and Sweden.

For more information on this Workshop or other activities of PGA, please contact: Mr. Peter Barcroft, Senior Program Officer, PGA International Law and Human Rights Program, (peter.barcroft@pgaction.org )