The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has embarked on a partnership project to implement a regional Technical Assistance on Building Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure through Enhanced Knowledge.

The project is focused on implementing Output 3 on Enhancing Resilient Recovery Capacity. This includes strengthening capacity to ensure that appropriate disaster-resilient measures are incorporated into post-disaster reconstruction efforts by supporting Post-Disaster Needs Assessments (PDNA) training to government officials. The UNDP-ADB project, financed from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, is implemented across Armenia, Cambodia, Fiji and Sri Lanka with a similar project oversight modality.

The UNDP-ADB Project complements actions implemented under Output 1 and Output 2 of the Technical Assistance (TA) which are “Disaster-resilient infrastructure know-how disseminated” (Output 1) and “Recommendations for addressing disaster risk in infrastructure investment processes identified” (Output 2) which are directly implemented by ADB.

In his welcoming remarks, Levan Bouadze, the Resident Representative for UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, in stressing the importance of partnerships said, “This partnership project with ADB again provides the renewed opportunity to engage and partner with regional partners such as the Pacific Community. It is not only critical - it is imperatively strategic in the sense that such partnership intervention is sustained in the region given the complexities and subtleties of working in the Pacific region”.

The UNDP-ADB Partnership Project was officially launched by the Minister for Rural & Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Minister for Defence, National Security and Policing Hon. Inia Seruiratu. In the same virtual event, Hon. Seruiratu also opened the Post Disaster Needs Assessment Trainings (PDNA) scheduled consecutively for the 19 -23 July and 26 -28 July 2021 specifically for the Water Sector.

In his opening address, Minister Seruiratu commended the Pacific Community (SPC) for its partnership with UNDP over the years to facilitate PDNA trainings around the Pacific. “Now, you’ve brought it home again to Fiji. These proven partnerships, now with ADB in the mix will be instrumental in the on-going quest to build resilient recovery capacities in the Pacific,” he said.

“This PDNA training is crucial enough to ensure that the fundamentals of post-disaster assessments are embedded for recovery planning feeding into the Government’s overarching national development agenda. We intend to build on these achievements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the way we deal with national emergencies,” added Hon. Seruiratu.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Regional Director, Pacific Subregional Office, Masayuki Tachiiri in his intervention at the launch said, “At ADB, we recognize the need to make these investments and have been providing technical and knowledge support to our developing member countries so they can strengthen the foundations for a more equitable and sustainable recovery, one that avoids regenerating disaster risk, ahead of time”.

As part of the project scope, UNDP Pacific Office will facilitate the two PDNA Trainings in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC). The week-long training is intended as a refresher, given the lapse of five years since the last training in 2016.

In his remarks at the Project Launch, the SPC Deputy Director-General Science and Capability, Dr. Paula Vivili emphasized the fact that natural disasters have an adverse impact to the economy, and lives of our people, and recognized how important it is to have targeted, robust and effective recovery plans.

“These disaster events impact our peoples’ lives and affect vulnerable groups in our societies disproportionately. At the personal level, the effect can be measured in many ways including loss of life which is devastating for the families and communities involved. At the national level, our economies can be adversely impacted as we are seeing in all our countries now. This Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) workshop is therefore critical and timely as without a proper understanding of the impact of disaster the development of targeted, effective and robust responses is more difficult,” he said.

Given the COVID-19 predicament and in line with the adherence to Government’s safety protocols, the training will be delivered virtually during the week. The trainings will at the most last for four hours per day, being mindful of the working from home arrangements.

Participants attending the refresher training include Fijian Government officials. UNDP also extended the courtesy to government officials in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) who are connecting remotely from the North Pacific.

The virtual launch on Monday 19 July was attended by around 48 participants.