Pacific Risk Resilience Programme launched

Press Releases

Pacific Risk Resilience Programme launched

PRESS RELEASES:
12 October 2012

12 October, 2012 (Suva, Fiji) – To systematically address the central challenge of ensuring that Pacific communities benefit from the myriad of activities around disaster risk management and climate change adaptation, a new regional programme initially focused in four countries is being launched. The Pacific Risk Resilience Programme will focus on strengthening governance mechanisms for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation at the sub-national and local levels.

Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and supported by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the countries initially targeted for the AUD$16 million project for the period 2012-2016 include Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji. An international non-government organization (INGO) will be contracted to implement the programme at the sub-national level.

The programme will be centered on two components that will be implemented under one coordinated and integrated programme: 1) risk governance: supporting mainstreaming of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation into development planning and budgeting at all levels of government; and 2) community level risk management: strengthening community resilience through targeted and inclusive community based disaster risk management and climate change adaptation (supported through a community small grants scheme) and the integration of risk management in to local level governance mechanisms.

“On top of the climate change adaptation issues all Pacific countries must face, Vanuatu, Solomon islands, Tonga and Fiji are the four countries most at risk of natural disasters in the Pacific. Disaster risk management and climate change adaptation share a common focus – building community resilience. Australia is pleased to support measures to build community resilience in some of the most vulnerable communities in the Pacific,” said AusAID Minister Counsellor Pacific, Mr John Davidson.

“This programme addresses the need to link disaster risk management and climate change adaptation activities to governance structures, ensuring that such assistance actually has a positive and sustainable impact on Pacific island communities. But perhaps more importantly reduce the burden and ensure cooperation between national provincial and village levels in designing and implementing responses to disasters and climate change affects,” said Mr Garry Wiseman, Manager of the UNDP Pacific Centre.

The Pacific Risk Resilience Programme will focus on strengthening governance mechanism for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation at the sub-national and local levels. The programme is supported by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and implemented by UNDP for an initial period of four years in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji.

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