Port Vila, VANUATU, 20 July 2026 – The Kiwa “Pacific CIRCLE” (Pacific Community Inclusion for Resilient Climate and Ecosystems) regional project was launched today in Port Vila, Vanuatu, marking the start of a groundbreaking program that will engage women, young people and people with disabilities in Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Kiribati to lead Nature-based Solutions that help communities adapt to climate change.
French Ambassador to Vanuatu, His Excellency Dr. Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer, joined ActionAid, GNDR, the Kiwa Secretariat and partners from Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tonga and Fiji to launch the Kiwa Pacific CIRCLE project in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
The Kiwa “Pacific CIRCLE” 3.5 year project will support ecosystem restoration and resilient livelihoods through activities ranging from regeneration of mangroves to sustainable fisheries. The project will be led by women’s rights organisation ActionAid Australia and the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), and in partnership with five Pacific-led organisations – ActionAid Vanuatu, Transcend Oceania, Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation, Tonga Community Development Trust, and the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific Kiribati.
In Vanuatu, ActionAid Vanuatu will lead the program in Malekula island (Uri, Uripiv, Lamap, Maskelyne and Akambh), Erromango island (Port Narvin, South River, Ipota, Hivo and Tamsal), and Tanna island (Lewis, Lawital Coastal, Enafa, Emafen and Hebron). The work will build on ActionAid’s 10 years of experience to advance women’s leadership and climate resilience, with activities focussing on agroecology, climate-resilient agriculture, and coastal and marine ecosystem restoration.
This €4.8 million project is funded by the Kiwa Initiative, whose donors include the European Union, Agence française de développement, Global Affairs Canada, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
French Ambassador to Vanuatu, His Excellency Dr. Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer, who delivered the keynote address at the launch, said:
“Climate solutions can only be truly effective when they are driven by the people who live closest to their lands and ecosystems. This is the very essence of the Pacific CIRCLE project and of France’s commitment through the Kiwa Initiative.”
Michelle Higelin, Executive Director at ActionAid Australia, said:
“This is an innovative, locally led project that will allow the people who are most impacted by the climate crisis to lead Nature-based Solutions in their communities, while also promoting gender equity, disability inclusion, and social justice. This isn’t just a win for Pacific women and people with disabilities – the whole community will benefit for generations to come.”
Shivangi Chavda, Head of Programmes at the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), said:
“Our ambition is that the programme leaves behind not only restored ecosystems and effective Nature-based Solutions, but also stronger local institutions, more inclusive leadership, better evidence and communities with greater power to shape their own resilient futures.”
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Photo is available for download here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HEMlXelq4ErK71Q5BuI4gICCn2DgUbO3/view?usp=sharing
Further photos are available on request.
Spokespeople are available for interview.
Please see fact sheet attached for more information on the Kiwa Pacific CIRCLE project.
Contact
Stephanie Wulf, Senior Communications Manager, ActionAid Australia
About the Kiwa Initiative – The Kiwa Initiative – Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Climate Resilience aims to build the resilience of Pacific Island ecosystems, communities, and economies to climate change through NbS by protecting, sustainably managing and restoring biodiversity. It is based on simplified access to funding for climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation actions for local and national governments, civil society, and regional organizations in Pacific Island Countries and Territories. The Initiative is funded by the European Union, Agence française de développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). It has established partnerships with the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and the Oceania Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN – ORO). For more information: The Kiwa Initiative – Climate Resilience in the Pacific Islands thanks to Nature-based Solutions (NbS)
