Tonga’s first strategic roadmap for Emergency and Disaster Risk Management was launched by MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u today, 27 August.

The launch follows the recent passing of Tonga’s new Disaster Risk Management Bill.

Paula said this roadmap would provide strategic guidance for Tonga to manage emergency and disaster risk management as envisioned by the new DRM Act in Tonga.

The roadmap aims to achieve a number of outcomes over the next three years, including having fully functioning Emergency Operation Centres, and clear standards and guidelines for evacuation process management with increased safety and security of evacuation centres, among others.

The Tonga Strategic Roadmap for Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (‘the Roadmap’) is a joint initiative of the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) and First Responders, supported by the Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance (PIEMA) Project under the SPC, Austraila’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“We continue and look forward to working closely with all our key stakeholders for this roadmap, His Majesty’s Armed Forces, Tonga Police, Tonga Fire and Emergency Services as well as Tonga Red Cross and all disaster related NGO’s here in Tonga and the Cluster Systems to further implement this roadmap,” said Paula.