Key Sectors - Private Sector
Supporting the development of strong and ethical leadership in the private sector is a key component of PLP. Owing to the small scale of most Pacific Island Countries, many private sector leaders have been involved in politics or the public service in their past or have intentions to do so in the future. They are often active members of church congregations and other community organisations, and in general tend to wield influence in their home country. In addition to the individual leadership roles that business people play, having strong, coordinated private sector organisations is a key element of effective public/private dialogue.
PLP supports a range of private sector organisations to:
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Demonstrate good governance and ethical leadership;
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Develop a strong research capacity and knowledge base; and
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Encourage a broad and representative membership base, which encompasses small/micro/medium enterprise and women in business, as well as the larger businesses which have traditionally participated in private sector organisations such as Chambers of Commerce.
The first private sector partnership PLP developed was with the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO), which is detailed below. Subsequent partnerships have been entered into with PIPSO’s national private sector members in Samoa (Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and Tonga (Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry). In 2011, PLP will be exploring relationships with PIPSO’s members in PNG, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
The partnerships with private sector organisations have been some of PLP’s most successful relationships. Our experience has been that relatively small investments of core funding and support to private sector organisations lead to significant organisational development and increased leadership capacity. An unforseen benefit of these partnerships has been the guidance and advice that our private sector partners have offered us for our program in general. They are important intermediaries for us in Tonga and Samoa, and at the regional level.
Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO)
AusAID first began discussion with the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO) early in 2007. These discussions led to AusAID attendance at the Inaugural Pacific Islands Business Forum (PIBF), organised by PIPSO in August 2007 in Nadi, Fiji. The PIBF established PIPSO, although a new organisation, as a credible representative of the private sector in the Pacific. The PIBF, and PIPSO’s promising beginning, coincided with the establishment of the Pacific Leadership Program (PLP). There was recognition that PIPSO, by virtue of the leadership role it plays, and the support it will increasingly give to its members who are leaders in their own countries, was a logical partner for the PLP.
Discussions began with PIPSO sharing their Strategic Plan with the PLP in December 2007. It was clear that there were areas of mutual interest, and a great opportunity for PIPSO and PLP to work together on a program which could improve PIPSO’s ability to serve its members, and allow the PLP to support the development of improved leadership in the private sector, and eventually more fruitful dialogue between the public and private sectors.
A Partnership Agreement was signed between PLP and PIPSO in June 2008. This partnership has become one of PLP’s most successful, as PIPSO has gone from strength to strength, and PLP has learnt a great deal about leadership issues in the private sector, and particularly about public/private dialogue in the Pacific. The relationship with PIPSO has also facilitated the development of strong partnerships with national private sector organisations in Tonga and Samoa. PLP will be exploring national private sector organisations in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and PNG in 2011.