JOINT PRESS RELEASE FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT The European Union (EU) with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) have signed a financing agreement for Adapting to Climate Change and Sustainable Energy (ACSE) programme worth FJ$90.8m. The ACSE programme will help the 15 Pacific ACP countries (Cook Islands, East-Timor, Fiji, Kiribati, , Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) to address three main challenges common to all of them: adapting to climate change; reducing their reliance on fossil fuels; and capacity building. The total project cost is €37.26 (FJ$95.37) million with the European Union contributing €35.5 (FJ$90.86) million through the European Development Fund (EDF). For the implementation of this programme, the European Union will be working in partnership with the German International Cooperation Agency (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit - GIZ), the New Zealand Government, the Asian Development Bank and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)......