Cabinet has approved the establishment of a National Emergency Response Team Mechanism.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the mechanism will facilitate the rapid deployment of an emergency response team inside and outside of Fiji.
Rabuka says it will equip the team with standardised tools and methodologies to ensure agencies’ interoperability and enhance their capacity to respond to a disaster.
He adds the National Disaster Management Office will coordinate the development of the mechanism.
Rabuka says cabinet has also endorsed an amendment to the Letter of Agreement with the United Nation Development Programme on the implementation of the Governance for Resilient Development in the Pacific Project within the Ministry.
He says the Amendment is to support the formulation of a Rural Development Policy.
Rabuka adds the development of the Policy is crucial to national governance given the Ministry’s significant role in coordinating rural development and disaster management at both national and sub-national levels.
