In a significant step towards enhancing disaster preparedness, the National Disaster Risk Management Office (NDRMO) has completed its final consultation with District and Town Officers of Tongatapu. This marks the conclusion of the initial phase of a nationwide effort to decentralize Disaster Risk Management (DRM), placing leadership, planning, and decision-making at the village level.

The Director of the NDRMO, Mr. Mafua-‘i-Vai’utukakau Maka, emphasized the importance of shifting decision-making and preparedness into the hands of our communities. 

“By establishing Village Disaster Risk Management Committees and supporting them to lead the development of Village DRM Plans, we are building a stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient Tonga—where every village plays a central role in protecting lives, livelihoods, and local development,” he said.

The consultations focused on the establishment of Village Disaster Risk Management Committees (VDRMCs) and the development of Village Disaster Risk Management Plans (VDRMPs). Each VDRMC will be chaired by the Town Officer and composed of eight community representatives, ensuring meaningful participation from women, youth, and persons with disabilities. These local plans will inform DRM planning and budgeting at the island and national levels plans will inform DRM planning and budgeting at the island and national levels.

Approximately 40 officers from the local government attended the session, adding their voices to a series of consultations that began on 31 March, with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), NGOs, faith-based and community-based organizations, and local implementing partners. These engagements have collectively involved over 140 participants from various sectors 

The National Disaster Risk Management Office will extend the process to the outer island groups of Ha‘apai, Vava‘u, ‘Eua, and the Niuas.

By the end of 2025, the initiative aims to cover all 23 districts and engage over 1,200 individuals through planning workshops and validation of VDRMPs and community budgets.

This initiative represents a transformative shift in Tonga’s approach to disaster risk management, moving from a centralized system to one that is community-driven and inclusive.

This roll-out is supported by the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP II) Programme and technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).