From using the traditional means like a conch shell as an early warning sign for villages across Fiji for centuries, more help is on the way now for early warning systems thanks to the International Organization for Migration.
They are scaling up early warning systems in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu to enhance national and community resilience against disaster risks.
This initiative, funded by the Government of Japan, aligns with the United Nations Secretary General’s Early Warnings for All strategy and regional commitments to disaster preparedness.
In early March, the Government of Japan allocated USD 55 million to support a wide range of operations to be implemented by IOM in 2025, in line with IOM’s Global Appeal.
The funding will enable IOM to help migrants, displaced persons, returnees, and communities affected by crises, conflict, and disaster in 33 countries.
Through the initiative, IOM will enhance the capacity of 24 Emergency Operation Centres, improve localized telecommunication linkages, and support 15 communities with scalable early warning packages.
They say additionally, national mapping exercises and regional exchanges between Fiji, Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu will strengthen best practices and enhance disaster response coordination.
IOM Chief of Mission/ Sub-Regional Coordinator Solomon Kantha says ensuring that at-risk communities receive timely and actionable early warnings is critical to saving lives and reducing disaster-induced displacement.
The projects in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu will see IOM working closely with their local counterparts and government agencies and identify and prioritize assistance to vulnerable communities.
