Sixteen urban informal settlements will receive support in building resilience to climate change and disaster risk through an adaptation fund programme to the tune of $9 million.
Minister of Local Government, Housing and Community Development, Parveen Bala has signed the agreement of cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in Suva.
Bala said over the next four years the communities will be supported to prioritise their resilience projects such as drainage, access roads and bridges as well as flood protection.
UN-Habitat’s Urban Climate Resilience team leader Silvia Gallo who will be based with the Ministry for the next four years, said they were happy to continue with this “very good project with the Government”.
The 16 informal settlements earmarked for the programme are situated in Nadi, Lami, Lautoka and Sigatoka.
Half of the funding will be utilised to directly support community infrastructure but these settlements will also receive capacity development to support resilient livelihoods and the Ministry will work with Live and Learn Environmental Education to support the communities.
