Solomon Islands Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Polycarp Paea, is in Palau this week attending the Second Pacific Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Ministers Meeting, joining regional leaders in a high-level dialogue to strengthen political leadership and collective action on disaster resilience.
Minister Paea is accompanied by National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) Director, Jonathan Matamaru Tafiariki.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Minister Paea said the gathering comes at a crucial time for Solomon Islands, one of the Pacific’s most disaster-prone nations.
“Our people continue to face floods, cyclones, and sea-level rise that threaten lives and livelihoods,” he said.
“The question is how well are we prepared to protect our communities? It’s about right now, not tomorrow.”
He said the meeting would help align Solomon Islands’ national efforts with broader regional frameworks to strengthen coordination, access to resources, and technical support.
NDMO Director Tafiariki said the meeting would help guide national disaster plans to ensure alignment with regional and global resilience strategies.
The meeting, hosted by the Government of Palau, brings together disaster ministers, National Disaster Management Offices, and development partners under the theme “Strengthened Political Leadership for Disaster Risk Management in the Pacific.”
Key priorities include endorsing the Pacific Humanitarian Response Coordination Mechanism (PResCoM) and reviewing progress made since the first DRM Ministers Meeting in Fiji (2022).
Ministers will also discuss the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, early warning systems, and the Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing Programme.
A major highlight will be the groundbreaking of Palau’s new humanitarian warehouse on November 5, part of a regional initiative that could later expand to Solomon Islands.
The biennial ministerial process, formalised in 2022, provides a united Pacific platform for countries like Solomon Islands to raise their voices globally and strengthen regional cooperation in building a safer, more resilient Pacific.
Ministers are expected to discuss several key priorities, including:
*Reviewing progress from previous DRM ministerial commitments.
*Endorsing the Pacific Humanitarian Response Coordination Mechanism (PResCoM).
*Aligning regional DRM work with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
8Strengthening strategic initiatives such as the Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing Program, Early Warning for All, and the Pacific Climate Mobility Framework.
