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ReliefWeb 8th April 2018
WFP/Government of the Marshall Islands News Release
MAJURO – More than forty emergency response experts come together today in Majuro, to identify locally-led solutions to overcome logistics challenges that can hinder disaster response in the North Pacific region. Efficient logistics can make or break a humanitarian response, and the event aims to ensure that when the next emergency strikes, affected islanders can respond quickly and effectively.
The geographical expanse of the North Pacific poses unique challenges of time, transport and distance; Kiribati’s 33 coral atolls and islands alone are scattered over 3.5 million km2 .
Transport, storage and other logistical elements can account for up to 80 percent of the cost of a humanitarian response, which means effective systems and preparedness are not only vital for effective disaster response, but mean economic savings too. “Our region’s isolated geography and fragile environment makes it vulnerable to natural disasters, extreme weather and the effects of climate change,” said Timmy Langrine, Director of RMI’s NDMO. “This workshop presents a great opportunity to learn from across the Pacific, and to share not only our common logistics challenges and gaps during disaster preparedness and response, but also our solutions and best practices,” he noted.
The Pacific Logistics Cluster sub-regional workshop is convened by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), as lead of the Pacific Logistics Cluster, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), and brings together actors from the RMI, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati and Palau.
