The Solomon Islands is set to enhance its disaster readiness with the establishment of a provincial humanitarian warehouse in Auki, Malaita Province. This initiative is part of a broader regional movement aimed at improving disaster preparedness across the Pacific.
The effort is aligned with the objectives discussed during the Second Pacific Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Ministers Meeting in Palau, where the Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing Program was a key focus. Jonathan Tafiariki, Director of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in the Solomon Islands, announced the partnership with the Pacific Community (SPC) to create the humanitarian facility, which will complement the national warehouse located in Honiara. Tafiariki stated, “We are working with the SPC under the Pacific Humanitarian Warehouse Program to establish a provincial warehouse in Auki.”
Additionally, collaboration with Australia is integral to this project, as they will assist in supporting the national humanitarian warehouse in Honiara. Lisa Cleary, Programme Director of the Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing Programme, noted that the initiative is currently in its early stages, with activities focused on surveying and designing the facility, with construction anticipated to begin by late 2027.
The introduction of the humanitarian warehouse in Auki builds on the successful launch of the first Pacific humanitarian warehouse in Kiribati in 2022, and with Palau scheduled to open its own facility soon, there is a strong momentum for regional cooperation. The overarching goal of this program is to enable Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste to respond to disasters with greater independence and sustainability by 2031.
As the Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing Program expands, it includes participation from several nations, namely: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Such collaborative efforts are crucial in fostering resilience against the increasing threat of climate-related disasters, offering hope and a strategic approach to safeguarding the future of Pacific communities.