PACIFIC FINANCIAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTREHEADQUARTERSTower 7 Postal Add: G.P.O. Box 14877 Reserve Bank Building Telephone: [679]330-4866 Pratt Street Facsimile: [679]330-4045 Suva E-Mail: apdpftac1@imf.org Internet: www.pftac.com Fiji Chairman, Steering Committee: ... Savenaca NARUBE (Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji) Coordinator: ... Luc LERUTH Public Financial Management Adviser: ... (vacant) Tax Administration and Policy Adviser: ... Christoph GRANDCOLAS Banking Regulation and Supervision Adviser: ... Ms. Judy K. LAU Economic and Financial Statistics Adviser: ... Neil BATTY LANGUAGE: EnglishESTABLISHMENT AND FUNCTIONSThe Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre in Suva, Fiji was jointly established in 1993 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the regional office to implement the Fiscal and Monetary Management Reform and Statistical Improvement Project. In addition to financing from UNDP and IMF, Phase I of the project was also funded by the Asian Development Bank (AsDB) with a cost-sharing contribution for training purposes. An initial three-year Phase II commenced on April 1, 1996 with funding by UNDP, IMF (directly and through the Japan Administered Account), AsDB, AusAID, New Zealand ODA, and the Forum Secretariat. In early 1999, Phase II was extended through 2001 with funding from the same donors. In 2001, in connection with a re-assessment of its priorities, UNDP decided to withdraw from the project. In July 2002, the Centre was re-constituted as an IMF-executed project under a Subaccount of the IMF's Framework Administered Account for Technical Assistance Activities with funding from the IMF, ADB, AusAID, Japan (through the Japan Administered Account), and Nzaid. The Centre's aim is to build skills and institutional capacity in Member countries for effective economic and financial management that can be sustained at the national level. It does this by providing technical advice and training in public financial management, tax administration and policy, banking regulation and supervision, and macroeconomic and financial statistics. Because of the IMF's expertise in these areas, it was selected, in consultation with the governments of the Pacific island countries and the donors supporting the Centre, as the Executing Agency to ensure that technical assistance and measures supported by the Centre are consistent and meet high international standards. COMPOSITION15 Pacific island countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu STRUCTUREA team of four resident advisors under the overall leadership of a coordinator, and supported by backstopping from the specialized technical assistance departments of the IMF, provides the Centre's core technical expertise. A Tripartite Review Committee, composed of representatives of the Executing Agency, the funding agencies, and the participating governments, exercises overall guidance, and periodically examines, the Centre's operational activities. A major part of the Centre's advisory and training activities is carried out through short-term visits by the four advisors to the Member countries. These visits, together with the advisors' long-term presence in the region, have contributed to the Centre's effectiveness by facilitating sustained assistance through return visits and a systematic following-up on earlier advice and action. In addition, advisors regularly provide timely and effective advice and guidance through communications from the Centre. These activities are complemented by the organization of regional seminars, and in-country workshops, practical training through attachments of officials to sister institutions in the region; and the recruitment of short-term consultants, including on a peripatetic basis, to bolster the advisors' own activities. The staff also prepares discussion papers on issues of regional interest and supports regional cooperation in a number of areas of economic and financial management. UPDATED: December 2003
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