PRIMEX CEO engaged by ADB as Climate Change and Project Formulation Specialist/Team Leader for a Pacific regional project

 

The ADB design team with development partner representatives pose in front of the flags of the seven countries covered by ADB’s SPSO after the debriefing session with DPs held on 18 October, the day after the Regional Consultation. From L to R: Michael Bonte-Grapentin of WB, Taina Simpson of ADB SPSO, Karen Lummis of AusAID’s Climate Change Program, Marilou Drilon of ADB PARD, Loreta Rufo of ADB RSES, and Pet Misa, Elvira Ablaza, and Edy Brotoisworo of the ADB Design Team.

ADB’s Pacific Department recently engaged the services of Ms. Elvira Ablaza, PRIMEX President and CEO, as Climate Change and Project Formulation Specialist/Team Leader to prepare the design of the Regional Component of the Strategic Program for Climate Resilience (SPCR) based on the Project Proposal approved by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) in April 2012. The team of three specialists led by Ms Ablaza will work with an ADB team led by Ms. Maria Lourdes (Marilou) Drilon, Mission Leader/Senior Natural Resources Economist of the Pacific Transport, Energy, and Environment Division (PATE); Mr. Kerry Groves, Senior Governance Adviser, PATE; and Ms. Loreta Rufo, Environment Officer – Climate Change Adaptation and CIF focal person, ADB RSES.

As a first major activity, the Team conducted a Regional Consultation with the key Pacific regional organizations in the Pacific (SPREP, PIFS, SPC) and major development partners (AusAID, GIZ, USAID, WB) at the headquarters of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji on 16-17 October 2012. The main objectives of the consultation workshop were to: (i) update the CROP agencies on the progress of work on the proposed Regional SPCR; (ii) carry out a rapid scan of ongoing and planned climate change initiatives of regional organizations and DPs in the Pacific; (iii) obtain the inputs of CROP agencies and concerned DPs in the finalization of the design and monitoring framework (DMF) for the Regional SPCR,ensuring linkages between the components and complementation with the national pilots in Samoa, Tonga, and Papua New Guinea (PNG); (iv) seek consensus on the appropriate implementation arrangements for the Regional SPCR; and (iv) agree on the next steps and timelines for the processing of the Regional SPCR.

The other members of the consultant team are Mr. Edy Brotoisworo, Institutional Development Specialist, and Ms. Consuelo (Pet) Misa, Communication Specialist/Workshop Facilitator. Mr. Brotoisworo, who recently retired from ADB as Principal Environment Specialist at PARD, was also engaged by ADB through PRIMEX.