RESPAC meets in Tonga to discuss disaster resilience for small islands [1]
Friday, October 12, 2018 - 18:50. Updated on Friday, October 12, 2018 - 18:52.
Regional delegates came to Tonga this week for a 4th board meeting of RESPAC, the Disaster Resilience for Pacific Small Island Developing States Project, which aims to improve islands’ resilience to climate related hazards. The meeting is being hosted by Tonga's Meteorology Divison.
CEO for MEIDECC, Paula Ma'u said that through RESPAC, a feasibility study was conducted earlier this year on the establishment of a Regional Training Center for the Pacific, and it was hoped a clear pathway towards its implementation in the region, will be discussed in these meetings.
He said future and current generations would be prepared to monitor the climate variables and have the expertise to provide early warnings and better responses to the adverse effects of natural hazards brought about by climate change.
“Training conducted by the project on early recovery and disaster preparedness has been well received and beneficial to our government officials. I am hopeful that the project will consider more funding to help us with the training of our staff in all facets of meteorology. I am also quite interested to see how disaster insurance can be introduced to Tonga to strengthen the resilience of our people and communities.”
He said, despite various constraints, mostly brought by the devasation of severe Tropical Cyclone Gita in February, hosting these meetings demonstrated the value that the Tongan Government placed on building regional partnerships as Pacific Islanders, to build esilience to various natural hazards and extreme events brought about by climate change.
In addition, this project also focuses on risk insurance.
Funded by the Russian Federation and organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Disaster Resilience for Pacific SIDS (RESPAC), the meeting was attended by Board Meeting Chairperson, Kevin Petrini, Senior Supplier, Sergei Glagolev, delegates from around the region, government officials and others, at Liku'alofa Beach Resort on Tongatapu.