“Environmental issues are becoming more & more complex, and we value the opportunity to continue expanding our in-country capabilities through partnerships with institutions such as UON” stated NES Director, Halatoa Fua.
Discussions between NES and UON were first established in 2020 and since then have been nurtured to identify areas of shared interest and opportunity. These include areas such as the provisioning of technical advice in environmental management, data collection and establishing pathways for Cook Islanders in to environmental science careers. The MOU is based on three objectives: To establish a partnership between NES and UON so both parties can work together to progress shared interest areas; To provide for technical support under the upcoming Cook Islands GEF 7 national project; and, to enable further areas for direct support from UON to optimize resources and deliver on common goals.
UON’s Professor Alan Broadfoot commented “It’s an exciting opportunity. We’re looking forward to working with NES and Cook Islands communities”.
