Ambassador Joy answers questions

Vanuatu’s Ambassador to the European Union Roy Mickey Joy arrived in the country last week to take part in the Third Enhanced Political Dialogue between the European Union and the Vanuatu Government and agreed to give the following interview to our Senior Reporter Len Garae.

Sir, elaborate on the purpose of your latest visit.

The purpose of my latest visit is to assist with the meeting of the Third Enhanced Political Dialogue between the Vanuatu Government and the European Union.

What is the Enhanced Political Dialogue?

The EPD is a very important provision of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement which provides a platform for a joint between Vanuatu and the European Union discussions. This meeting is a very important template to assist our two Governments – the EU as the provider of aid money and technical assistance and Vanuatu as the recipient. The EPD also provides the platform for Vanuatu and the European Union to renew and reaffirm their commitments and mutual understanding on where things stand at the moment in terms of governance issues, sustainable development and trade, investment and other key priorities like climate change.

How significant is the EU as a donor partner for Vanuatu?

The European Union is the third largest contributor to the people of Vanuatu since 1980.

The outcome of the EPD was late in being announced. What was the culmination of the meeting?

The outcome was a breakthrough, a major milestone in terms of the Vanuatu-EU relations. The last time we met was in the Second Enhanced Political Dialogue at Le Lagon on March 10 of 2010, under the leadership of former Prime Minster Mr. Moana Carcasses. Now it was under the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Sato Kilman Livtuvanu.

What were the sticky issues you had to discuss in order to reach agreement on such a generous grant totaling Vt3.1 billion?

The sticky issue we discussed central to Vanuatu and the EU was governance. They EU before giving assistance had to be certain of our mechanisms to deal effectively with poverty, corruption, gender, human rights and climate change issues.

How does the EU want to see the Vt3.1 billion spent?

The EU want to see the grant used to fund agricultural projects and tourism development projects to boost the economy in rural areas. The EU would want to see the grant used to finance key Government economic development priorities as agreed to the people of Vanuatu. What has to be said here is that the allocation was made twelve hours before the meeting was concluded in Port Vila so it was timely. The global amount is also what the EU says is to compensate Vanuatu for closing their office in Vanuatu to relocate to the Solomons.

As the Ambassador on the ground in Brussels, how do you describe Vanuatu’s relationship with the EU?

The EU selected Vanuatu some ten years ago singlehandedly and unilaterally as one of what I would call ‘guinea pigs’ to test the particular budget support policy and it worked very well. So Vanuatu was the leader of the budget support for the entire ACP states. Secondly when I was already in Brussels in 2009, Vanuatu was one again selected by the European Union to be one of the four guinea pigs to test what they termed the Global Climate Change Alliance.

Please explain the Global Climate Change Alliance?

This is a special facility given to four countries in four different regions. Vanuatu was chosen in the Pacific, Tanzania in Africa, Cambodia in Asia and Maldives in the Indian Ocean. So that particular some of Euro3.8 million signed by the former Prime Minister Natapei is now being used by the Climate Change Department and World Bank support to be used around the islands of Vanuatu.

Is this part of the climate change project to relocate Laman Airport and coastal roads and villages from Rovo Bay to Ni Venue, Nui and Nikaura to new sites in Epi?

To a large extent yes. But I said we are a new kid on the block and we have been in Brussels for six years. Our role is to provide and maintain the bridge between Port Vila and Brussels. I have been very, very impressed by the support given by the Government of Vanuatu, my Ministry and my Director General Mr. Johnny Koanapo who is very instrumental in getting things done and being very facilitative in supporting and ensuring things from Brussels move as far as the Government from Vanuatu is concerned.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is coming to Port Vila in 2017. What is the magic used?

On the eve of our departure after we successfully hosted the joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers’ Conference on June 15 of 2012, Prime Minister Mr. Sato Kilman asked me my views on whether we had the political will, infrastructure and the environment for Vanuatu to host CHOGM. I returned to Brussels and I received a letter from the Prime Minister through the Minister for Foreign Affairs for me to convey to the Secretary General of the Commonwealth in London, Vanuatu’s interest to host CHOGM in 2017. As High Commission to London, I started the process and despite the SG’s hesitancy, during CHOGM in Sri Lanka last year, we along with the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs present for the meeting started lobbying for recognition to host the global gathering. We received a unanimous support to become the first island country outside Australia and New Zealand to be allowed to host it in 2017.

What is your message to the people of Vanuatu concerning 2017?

As we speak, the people of Vanuatu have to start sharpening their mind to host the event. This is a global event and when global leaders move, everybody follows. It is going to bring in 55 Presidents and Prime Ministers including the most powerful Presidents and Prime Ministers in the Commonwealth – England’s Prime Minister, Canada’s Prime Minister, South Africa’s President, India’s Prime Minister and Singapore’s Prime Minister. As the Chairman of CHOGM Executive Committee, I can confirm chairing a meeting for 25 High Commissioners in London last month. In that meeting, I can confirm that the excitement for Vanuatu to host CHOGM in 2017 was complete. Vanuatu has to prepare to live up to deliver at this global event.

What is it that global leaders see in Vanuatu to believe that Vanuatu can successfully host CHGM?

I think it may also have something to do with my patriotism and dynamic manner in which I support the Vanuatu Government to host such global meetings. I speak my mind and I get things done. The greatest thing in the South Pacific now is that all eyes are on Port Vila to see if we can deliver. But I can attest to the fact that things a running smoothly, we have to have political stability to support his and get things done in the next 24 months. The clock has started ticking and the country has to pull together to prepare to host the biggest global meeting ever. This is the message I’d like to leave with the people of Vanuatu.