Pacific: Programmatic Technical Assistance - Building Climate and Disaster Resilience

Context and Objectives 

The objective of the project was to develop tools and methodologies to increase the capacity of seven selected Pacific Island Countries in disaster early warning, preparedness and response, as well as for resilient infrastructure/sector investments and development planning. In addition, the project developed a needs assessment for providing end-to-end multi-hazard early warning services, and an investment plan for upgrading and strengthening early warning and preparedness systems.

The selected countries were the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu. The countries were selected based on their commitment to participate in a regional investment program, the World Bank-funded Pacific Resilience Program, which strengthens and modernizes early warning and preparedness systems.

Main Activities and results

The following results were achieved:

• A knowledge note on Supporting Road Network Vulnerability Assessments in Pacific Island Countries, and on Urban Flood Risk Management in the Pacific, were finalized.
• In Fiji, a risk assessment of the health and education sector was conducted, and a background note on the mainstreaming of DRM in human settlements was developed.
• In Samoa, technical assistance was provided for a road vulnerability assessment. The West Coast Road Project knowledge note was developed, which informed the $17 million World Bank Enhancing the Climate Resilience of the West Coast Road project.
• In the Republic of the Marshall Islands, support was provided for a rapid assessment of coastal hazards and disaster risk.
• In Vanuatu, support was provided to the Office of the Prime Minister to ensure that resilience principles and build back better-considerations were integrated in the National Disaster Recovery Framework that was developed by the government. 
• In Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu, rapid assessments of school buildings were completed.

Regarding the needs assessments for providing multi-hazard early warning services, and the development of an investment plan for the strengthening of early-warning systems in the pacific, the following results were achieved:

• A needs assessment report was prepared for Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and the Republic of Marshall Islands.
• Country investments plans were developed based on the needs assessment, and the proposals integrated and financed under the World Bank Pacific Resilience Program (PREP).
• Key lessons and knowledge developed under this technical assistance have been provided as input towards long-term climate change and disaster resilience work under the Pacific Atoll Study. 

Partnerships and Coordination

This project entailed extensive consultation in terms of early warning system activities with the government of Samoa and Tonga and Vanuatu. Consultations took place with finance ministries, and ministries and technical agencies responsible for disaster preparedness and response (i.e., National Disaster Management Offices, as well as agencies responsible for weather forecasting). 

Useful Links

The knowledge note on road network vulnerability is available here.
 
The knowledge note on urban flood risk management is available here.

A blog post on the knowledge note on urban flood risk management is available here.