“The Talanoa sessions on the very first day of the Sustainable Financing for Waste Management Study Tour were definitely informative, such an information overload, however, these sessions are valuable in terms of designing a sustainable financing system for the Cook Islands.

The lessons learned from the sessions and during Q&A panelists do provide us the participants, an insight on how each country should prepare itself and ourselves in terms of learning from the challenges and what are the available tools we can use to minimize any risks.

There was definitely so much to take however from each presentation/session one key message I would take home in designing our sustainable financing is the following:

• Keeping it Simple from Kylie Hughes
• Working together (government/private sectors/retailers/business/recycling collectors/community) by Chantal Moore
• Choosing a financial system that works for country specific-Steven Sergi
• Retain your waste by Charleen from Kiribati
• Find a market for all products (exportation of waste) – by Calvin Ikesiil from Palau
• Learning from others will maximize the benefits by Rod Boys of New Zealand”