Session: Enhancing Partnerships and Capacity Mosese Sikivou SPC/SOPAC

Background Established in February 2006 Assist Pacific countries in implementing the Pacific DRR and DM Framework for Action First meeting in February 2006 and has met each year since then 40+ members…and growing

Pacific Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Management Framework for Action 2005 – 2015 Theme 1: Governance Theme 2: Knowledge, Information, Public Awareness and Education Theme 3: Analysis and Evaluation of Hazards, Vulnerabilities and Elements at Risk Theme 4: Planning for Effective Preparedness, Response & Recovery Theme 5: Effective, People – Focussed Early Warning Systems Theme 6: Reduction of Underlying Risk Factors

Structure Coordinating Committee Training & Capacity Building CBDRM Mainstreaming Early Warning PHT Risk Information/Finance

Policy Context Pacific Plan, 2005 Hyogo Framework for Action, 2005 Pacific DRR & DM Framework for Action, 2005 Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change, 2005

Regional Policy Frameworks Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change raises awareness of climate change issues in the Pacific (for stakeholders within the Pacific and outside the region); provides guidance on design and implementation of climate change measures (both national and regional); provides guidance on development of national and regional sustainable development strategies, sector policies, climate change-specific policies, or their equivalent; provides a framework to enable measurement of progress of climate change action in the region 6 Themes with respective outcomes, outputs/indicators

Theme 1: Governance – organisational, institutional, policy and decision-making frameworks Theme 2: Knowledge, information, public awareness and education Theme 3: Analysis and evaluation of hazards, vulnerabilities and elements at risk Theme 4: Planning for effective preparedness, response and recovery Theme 5: Effective, integrated and people-focused early warning systems Theme 6: Reduction of underlying risk factors Theme 1: Implementing adaptation measures Theme 2: Governance and decision making Theme 3: Improve understanding of climate change Theme 4: Education Training and Awareness Theme 5: Mitigation of global greenhouse emissions Theme 6: Partnership and cooperation

Objectives of the Partnership Network 1.Development and implementation of National Action Plans consistent with the Pacific DRR & DM Framework for Action Establish and sustain a regional network of regional assistance and development partners that work in the different fields of disaster risk reduction and disaster management to improve regional cooperation, coordination and collaboration. 3.Strengthen the key thematic areas identified in the Pacific DRR & DM Framework. 4.Monitor and evaluate national progress against the targets of these national action plans. 5.Reduce duplication of efforts and to ensure that assistance is built on the efforts and experiences of each other.

Priorities (2006) 1.Establishment of a regional information database to provide Pacific countries with an overview of existing Pacific Island Country DRR and DM capacities, needs, information sources, resources, policies, plans and regulations. Pacific Disaster Net ( 2.Development/implementation of National Action Plans for Pacific countries in line with the Regional Framework.

Achievements (1/2) Supported first DRM NAPs in Vanuatu (2006), RMI (2007), Cook Islands (2008) Formation of WG’s in 2009/2010 –CBDRM –Advocacy/Mainstreaming –Early Warning –Training & Capacity Building –Risk Information/Risk Finance Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment & Financing Initiative Linked to the UNOCHA led – Pacific Humanitarian Team Formation of Coordinating Committee in November 2011

Achievements (2/2) Some recent successes –Pacific Disaster Net: continuous increase in reservoir of documents available: 2012 (9,300+) –NAPs/JNAPs: Ongoing since 2006 with progress in all 14 PICs –Pacific Cat Risk Assessment & Financing Initiative: Ongoing since 2007 –Dedicated Partnership Coordinator position in SPC/SOPAC since 2010 –2011 – 2013 National Progress Reviews in all 14 PICs 1 in 2007; 6 in 2009 –2 publications of Regional Syntheses Report on DRM progress: 2009, 2012 (under development)

Issues/Challenges/Opportunities (1/2) 1.Coordination of partner efforts in supporting DRR and DM in PICs –WG’s and Coordinating Committee 2.Monitoring and reporting of activities – regional and national 3.National and sub national mainstreaming initiatives 4.Strengthening of institutional/governance arrangements for DRM, CCA and ‘Development’ –National and Sub national 5.Ongoing strengthening of the Pacific Disaster Net ̶To help keep the PDN relevant and responsive to needs of users

Issues/Challenges/Opportunities (2/2) 6.Development of a strategic alliance between NDMOs, PIFSA and AFAC to strengthen emergency/disaster response coordination at national and regional level Twinning arrangements between NDMOs and AFAC members in Australia and New Zealand Mentoring, training Interoperability between emergency responders – NDMOs, Fire and Police 7.Develop a DRM competency framework 8.Development of the integrated regional strategy for DRM and CC by 2015, and contributions to the post HFA framewor k Succeed the Pacific DRR & DM Framework for Action 2005 – 2015 and Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change

Lessons Learned 1.Stay relevant to the needs of Pacific island countries and territories Invest significantly in on going institutional strengthening and capacity building support e.g. DRM and CCA strategic planning at national level; revision of DRM governance arrangements 2.Perception: Partnership Network = Partner organisations Not easy to build a sense of ownership amongst PICs of initiatives introduced from the ‘outside’ 3.Be able to back up what we advocate for 4.PICs place alot of value in the ‘human’ face of DRM capacity building Requires more effort, more presence 5.Adaptability and flexibility 6.Develop structure and systems to complement strategy – not the other way around The new integrated regional strategy for DRM and CC in 2015 will give the Pacific the opportunity to re-look at the support structure for overall DRM and CC institutional strengthening and capacity building

Thank you