Strengthening Palau’s operational capacity and response to disasters

May 3, 2020

Official group photo at the handover ceremony that includes the Honorable Vice President of Palau, Raynold Oilouch; Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Akira Karasaw; UNDP EDCR Country Project Coordinator, Aleyda Valdes; national key counterparts and media representatives (Photo: UNDP)


Koror, Palau
 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), together with the people of Japan and the Government of Palau are on a solid path to achieving long term climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods for the people of Palau.

UNDP’s Japan, funded Enhancing Disaster and Climate Resilience (EDCR) in Palau through Disaster and Infrastructure Preparedness project, is partnering with the Government of Palau to improve the country’s resilience to human-made and natural disasters and climate change impacts.     

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of this project, especially during this challenging time. We all know that our ongoing fight with the COVID-19 Pandemic is a global concern,” said the Vice President of Palau, Honourable Raynold Oilouch. “Disasters that pose immediate threat to the lives of our people are without borders. Fortunately for us, as demonstrated by the EDCR project, valuable partnerships are also without borders,” he said.

Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Akira Karasawa giving his speech (Photo: UNDP)

(L-R) UNDP EDCR Country Project Coordinator, Aleyda Valdes; Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Akira Karasawa; and Palau Vice President, Hon. Raynold Oilouch, cutting the ribbon at end of the handover ceremony (Photo: UNDP)

Vice President of Palau, Honorable Raynold Oilouch, giving his speech (Photo: UNDP)


One of the major components of this project is to upgrade Palau’s emergency equipment to improve its overall operation for assistance and responses to disasters.

In a recent development, a handover of the first of the goods purchased through the EDCR project took place at the National Emergency Operation Centre in Koror. The items included five mobile storage units, which will be placed at the National Emergency Management Office and in Kayangel, Peleliu and Angaur, two HF radio portable manpacks and one generator.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Akira Karasawa acknowledged the similar issues his own island nation faces regarding environmental disasters and emphasized the importance of supporting Palau. “As you may all be aware, Japan is also very vulnerable to natural disasters,” said Ambassador Karasawa. “It is truly important for us to have enough capacity to prepare for any natural disasters that Palau may face in the future. The Government of Japan, hence, decided to contribute US $7.5 million for this project in cooperation with UNDP to improve Palau’s resilience to natural disasters and climate variability,” he added.

HF radio portable manpacks (Photo: UNDP)

Mobile storage unit (Photo: UNDP)

New generator (Photo: UNDP)


The storage units will be used to safeguard important rescue equipment. Their portable design makes them easy to be transported when required. The HF radio portable manpacks, which can be transported and operated in a backpack device, will be used for communication with remote regions when a disaster strikes. The generator will be used at the National Emergency Operation Centre to sustain electricity during power outages, this new generator doubles the power of the existing one.

Due to the current COVID-19 travel restrictions and in the absence of the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Resident Representative,  Levan Bouadze, a statement was read on Mr. Bouadze’s behalf. “UNDP together with the people of Japan and the Government of Palau are on a solid path to achieving long-term climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods for the people of Palau.”

Bouadze said, “The goods will be used to help Palau’s officials in their efforts to mitigate disaster and climate change impacts. We are thankful to the government of Japan to let us support the Government of Palau’s preparedness to mitigate the increasing issues associated with disaster and climate resilience”.

National key counterparts and media representatives were also present at the handover ceremony.

Through generous funding from and in collaboration with the Government of Japan, the EDCR project in Palau was initiated in March 2019. The UNDP project, implemented in partnership with the Government of Palau, aims to improve the capacity for preparedness and mitigation of Palau’s resilience to man-made, geo-physical, climate and related hazards and enhancing resilience to climate change impact.

The projects 3 expected outputs include strengthened gender sensitive Disaster Communication and Climate Monitoring Systems, enhanced gender sensitive National and State Disaster Responders readiness capacity and enhanced Community Disaster Resilience through improved water resource management, and integrated gender and social inclusion awareness.

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Contact Information

Zayaan Jappie, Communications Specialist, EDCR, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, Tel: +679 322 7565; Email: zayaan.jappie@undp.org