The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Germany’s aid agency, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ- commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development- BMZ), entered into a new partnership today to support the Choiseul Integrated Climate Change Programme (CHICHAP) in the Solomon Islands.

The new USAID/GIZ CHICHAP activity will lead the implementation of the province-wide, integrated approach to climate change adaptation that will contribute to the enhancement of livelihoods in the Choiseul province of the Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands Government has identified Choiseul Province as the first pilot province to implement a cross-sectoral and integrated approach to climate change adaptation. The province is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and is becoming a focal area for climate change and disaster risk partners.

USAID/Philippines and Pacific Islands Mission Director Gloria D. Steele said the partnership with GIZ supports the U.S. Government’s continuing commitment to promote sustainable, climate-resilient development through initiatives that will help reduce long-term vulnerabilities associated with climate change in the Pacific Islands region.

“This partnership is one of several new U.S. Government development initiatives that exemplify our increased engagement in the Pacific Islands region. It also highlights our partnership with other donors to promote efficient use of development resources,” Director Steele added.

Dr. Wulf Killmann, GIZ’s Program Director for CHICHAP, said “the experiences gained in this innovative approach to coordinating climate change implementation amongst agencies and development partners will be used to replicate the concept in other provinces of the Solomon Islands and other Pacific Island countries”.