Managing Climate and Disaster Risk for a Resilient Pacific hosted by the Government of Fiji at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat started today 23rd September 2024.
Fiji’s deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Professor Biman Prasad in his keynote address emphasised that the meeting is happening at a pivotal time with global meetings like the APMCDRR and the UNFCCC COP 29 happening later in the year.
In positioning the region towards these global platforms,Biman Prasad underlined that this week is focused squarely on us – our needs and challenges and to ensure that our abilities, resources and capacities are enhanced to tackle the impacts of the climate crisis.
Pacific Islands Forum Acting Secretary General, Esala Nayasi in his welcoming remarks highlighted that our Leaders through the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific have set in place the framework for collective actions and encouraged the participants to make the most of this week to ensure what our Leaders have set in place will reap maximum benefits for their country their people and the region as a whole.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Fiji, Dirk Wagener highlighted that the Pacific as a region has been pioneers in recognising that to fight for resilience means having a cohesive and coordinated approach to addressing risk from climatic and non-climatic hazards. In other words, a comprehensive risk management (CRM) approach has been a priority
Participants included senior officials from the disaster, climate change and finance & planning agencies from around the Pacific region and representatives of the private sector and the civil society.
The regional consultation is made possible through the leadership of the Government of Fiji with funding assistance from UNDRR, UNESCAP and IOM and supported by the Pacific Resilience Partnership Support Unit from PIFS, SPC and SPREP.
