Since 2019, Pacific Citizen’s involvement in public finance management has significantly increased. Key achievements include improved budget procedures, enhanced oversight, and increased accountability and transparency in public finances. Additionally, there’s been a push for greater public participation in budget open forums.
Emeline Ilohahia, executive director of the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (PIANGO), highlighted the Vaka Pasifika Program’s success in promoting financial transparency and citizen-focused governance during the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in Fiji.
Supported by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji, pilot countries have made notable strides toward a people-centered Public Finance Management (PFM) system aimed at the welfare of all Pacific people.
“This is not just rhetoric; for instance, in Fiji, the government amended the Financial Management Act to mandate the annual release of the Citizens Budget Guide. This initiative began in collaboration with the Fiji Council of Social Services, producing the first Citizens Budget Guide in 2020,” stated Ilohahia.
In 2020, Tonga’s Legislative Assembly hosted its first budget briefing for civil society organizations (CSOs) to recognize their significant role in communities and their input in the national budgetary process.
In the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), CSOs in Pohnpei are set to engage with the first Citizen Budget in 2024. In Palau, CSOs have opened dialogues with government officials regarding the lack of funding for gender-based violence and their own gender budget analysis.
Ilolahia noted the positive impact of Vaka Pasifika’s partnership initiatives in increasing citizen participation in budget processes across the region.
The Vaka Pasifika project, backed by the European Union, aims to strengthen democratic governance and institutional accountability while promoting transparency in public finances throughout the Pacific.
Over the past five years, collaboration between CSOs, governments, and development partners has fostered robust, long-lasting relationships on national, regional, and international levels.
PIANGO plans to launch the Pacific Open Budget platform, providing an accessible comparative overview of budgets of Pacific nations.
“Although there is more to be done for budgetary information to be fully accessible, our efforts demonstrate civil society’s capability and interest in digitalization and openness,” added Ilolahia.
As development actors, CSOs are reflecting on their accountability mechanisms while enhancing their oversight and engagement in public finance from Palau to Samoa, she noted.
“Strong public financial management is crucial for sustainable development for all Pacific people,” said Munkhtuya Altangerel, UNDP Pacific Office resident representative. The Vaka Pasifika initiative has facilitated essential public discussions on planning, resources, priorities, and the desired future for Pacific people.
The Vaka Pasifika initiative, funded with six million euros from the European Union, aims to provide accountable public finances to Pacific people by improving governance frameworks to deliver tailored public services.
The partnership has produced educational publications, including the Citizen Budget Guides for Fiji, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Tuvalu, with Palau and Samoa guides forthcoming. Budget advocacy grants and capacity-building activities have also been enabled.