Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697766210262.pdf (Fiji)
1.0 PURPOSE 1.1 The purpose of this Report is to provide information on key activities and expenditure incurred through the six months of expenditure for the COP23 Presidency Trust Fund from 1 May 2018 to 31 October 2018 (period).
2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 2.2 2.3 Pursuant to section 8(1) of the COP23 Presidency Trust Fund Act 2017 (Act), the Ministry responsible for finance must prepare a report every six months on the activities and expenditure of the COP23 Presidency Trust Fund (Fund), including financial statements for the Fund and submit the report to Cabinet within six months from the end of the six-month period to which the report relates.
The COP 23 Presidency Secretariat (Secretariat) was established in March 2017 to oversee and manage the operations of the Fund.

Utilisation of the Fund for procurement is in accordance with the Procurement Regulations 2010.

Further, a Financial Policy Guideline, consistent with the Financial Management Act 2004 and Finance Instructions 2010 has been developed for the Fund.

The Ministry of Economy (MoE) also assists with the accounting function of the Fund.
In addition, COP23 Presidency KPMG assisted with secondment of a senior accounting officer to the Fund who was engaged as the Manager Finance for the Secretariat for a six month period commencing from 31 July 2017 to 31 January 2018.

Subsequently, MoE assumed the accounting responsibilities via the appointment of Manager Finance to the COP23 Secretariat in June 2018.
3.0 BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL FUNDING SUPPORT 3.1 3.2 3.3 For the period, a total sum of F$847 996 was received in the form of contributions to the Fund.

The major contributors were the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation UK (F$409 089), France (F$222 102) and Israel (F$210 805).

All donations are detailed in the six monthly financial report which is attached as Annex 1.
Expenditure of the Fund for the period amounted to almost F$6.5 million leaving a balance of just over F$10.5 million, prior to payments for COP24, the 3rd Climate Action Pacific Partnership Conference, advisory services, legacy initiatives and residual costs.

The ensuing discussion highlights how the funds were defrayed in the period.

It should be noted that the Fund is not the only vehicle for financing COP23 Presidency activities.
A number of donor nations, in keeping with their own domestic requirements, have chosen separate funding vehicles.

This included USA, Norway, Switzerland, Italy (part) and the European Commission (part) which opted to make their contributions through a 1 COP23 Project Fund with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Trust Account.
These include: 3.3.1 New Zealand provided a secondment to assist with the scheduling and management of the Fiji Pavilion at COP23; 3.3.2 Canada has contributed through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and 3.3.3 The Asian Development Bank has provided additional support engaging a consultant to assist the development of the Climate Finance and the project ‘Insurance Drua Incubator’.
3.4 The historic co-hosting of the 23rd Convention of the Parties in Bonn, Germany, would not have been possible without the significant contributions of the German Government in the construction and management of facilities adjacent to the UNFCCC Secretariat.

This is in addition to their already substantial direct and other indirect support.
The latter included BMZ funded and GIZ managed budget in 2017 and 2018 of almost F$2.5 million which has helped resource the establishment and operation of the Secretariat and supported the activities of the High-Level Champion and his Special Adviser This support included crucial logistical and transport support for the Climate Action Pacific Partnership Conferences in both 2017 and 2018.

3.5 Fiji understands the Trust Account with the UNFCCC has received over F$7 million in contributions.
Some of the COP23 Presidency related expenditure that has been funded by the UNFCCC includes: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) travel, accommodation and per diems of the majority of the Fijian delegations to UNFCCC meetings; support for other eligible countries’ participation in the Heads of Delegation meeting in Rabat, Morocco, the Pre-COP and COP23 meeting and F$400 000 contribution to assist lesser developed country participation in the September Bangkok inter-sessional meeting, and; travel expenses of the Chief Negotiator and Chief of Staff.
The UNFCCC Secretariat also provided significant and much appreciated logistical and advisory support over the period.
A Fijian team member was posted in Bonn as UNFCCCLiaison Officer until the end of the COP23 meeting with costs shared between the Fund and UNFCCC COP23 Project Fund.. 4.0 FUND UTILISATION 4.1 Outlined below are key activities that were either wholly or partially supported through the Fund in the relevant period: (i) Management and operation of the Secretariat in Suva, in the period at Level 9 of Suvavou House; 8th Floor Ro Lalabalavu House, Victoria Parade | PO Box 2212, Govt Buildings, Suva, Fiji +679 3216761 | cop23.com.fj | @COP23 (ii) support of the COP23 Presidency leadership personnel which included: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) COP23 President – the Hon.
Prime Minister J. V. Bainimarama COP23 High-Level Champion – the Hon.
Minister Inia Seruiratu; COP23 Chief Negotiator – Ambassador Luke Daunivalu; Climate Ambassador – Deo Saran; and Special Adviser, Ocean Pathway - Taholo Kami the Pacific Special Representative – Roving Ambassador Tui Cavuilati; (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) residual payments from COP23 and PreCOP23; fielding a Fijian delegation to Bonn (May) and Bangkok (September) inter-sessional meetings; materially advancing the Global Climate Action Agenda promoting greater pre-2020 action under the leadership of the High-Level Champion, Hon.
Minister Seruiratu including the 2nd Annual Climate Action Pacific Partnership Conference July 2018 in Suva Fiji; maintenance of extensive communication program including the COP23 website, traditional and social media outreach, drafting and event management; training and building capacity of the Fijian National Team and the Fijian Presidency Team.
Additional training support also came from UNDP contributions and secondments; furthering the partnership with Governor Brown of California COP23 Special Envoy for States and Regions as part of building a Grand Coalition of non-State actors for climate action.
COP23 President Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama hosted a Talanoa and spoke at Governor Brown’s Global Climate Action Summit in September 2018; furthering the relationship with private sector finance through the Talanoa dialogue, including a Finance Talanoa event co-hosted with Governor Schwarzenegger in Los Angeles in October 2018; continued outreach and engagement with Pacific colleagues including advance payments for the November Pacific Transport Forum, preparatory meetings for Pacific delegates to COP24 and for the COP24 Pacific and Koronivia Pavilion.
The Pavilion was funded by New Zealand support, other Pacific engagement has been supported by the Australian contribution; 8th Floor Ro Lalabalavu House, Victoria Parade | PO Box 2212, Govt Buildings, Suva, Fiji +679 3216761 | cop23.com.fj | @COP23 (xi) supporting the Fijian Government in the implementation of their legacy projects for Fiji and the Pacific including: (a) (b) (c) provision of clean renewable energy to rural communities through the Fijian Rural Electrification Fund Trust, supported by the Leonardo Di Caprio Foundation; the development of the Drua Incubator as it examined a portfolio of activities and supported others including the agriculture and housing Insurance initiatives being developed by the Fijian Government, and; development of the regional Pacific Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Hub, conceived of at the July 2017 CAPP Conference.
(xii) other Presidency support services including strategic advice, negotiations support, assistance with fundraising, capacity building, logistical support, communication and documentation drafting.
5.0 EXTERNAL AUDIT PricewaterhouseCoopers has concluded its audit of COP23 Presidency Trust Fund financial report for the financial year ended 1 August 2017 to 31 July 2018, concluding in their opinion:   the financial report presents fairly, in all material respects, the actual payments and donations received for the purpose of the Fund in accordance with the accounting policies set out in Note 2 to the financial report; and the Fund payments provided by Donors have, in all material aspects been used in compliance with the Act, the Guidelines, the Procurement Regulations 2010 and in conformity with the applicable conditions in the Funding Agreements with the Donors.
A copy of the audited accounts is attached as Annex 2.

6.0 CONCLUSION The COP23 Presidency Trust Fund is managed in a very sound manner.

To ensure proper accountability and transparency, progressive six-monthly financial reports will be published on a periodic basis and the audited financial statements on a 12-monthly basis.

Consistent with funding arrangements and agreements, the Presidency also publishes quarterly updates.

All finalised documents are published on the COP23 website.
APRIL, 2019 8th Floor Ro Lalabalavu House, Victoria Parade | PO Box 2212, Govt Buildings, Suva, Fiji +679 3216761 | cop23.com.fj | @COP23