4 September 2014: The Pacific small islands developing States (SIDS) have launched the Pacific Regional Data Repository (PRDR), a web-based energy portal and data management system created to support sustainable energy policies and projects with the provision of timely, reliable information to countries and development partners. The platform aims to support South-South cooperation and advance the objectives of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative in Asia and the Pacific.

The launch took place on 3 September 2014, at a side event hosted by the Government of Tonga during the 3rd International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Apia, Samoa. Speaking at the launch, Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Tonga, described the platform as “the success of regionalism and the sign of maturity” among Pacific countries. Shamshad Akhtar, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), pointed to the PRDR as a “a key tool for energy security and policy” and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC) leadership in the development of the platform as “a role model for other partnerships.”

Energy Ministers designated the Secretariat as the interim host to lead the implementation of the proposal for a PRDR for SE4ALL at an SPC meeting held in Nadi, Fiji in April 2014. The proposal was first initiated at an ESCAP Expert Meeting in February 2013. [SPC Press Release] [ESCAP Press Release] [PRDR Website] [PRDR Brochure] [IISD RS Coverage of SIDS Conference]