Samoa has begun identifying national priorities for the next phase of a Pacific programme aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to understand and respond to climate and disaster risks.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Disaster Management Office convened a National Stakeholder Scoping Workshop at the Lava Hotel in Sogi on Monday, 11 August.

The workshop was held under Phase Three of the Pacific Risk Tool for Resilience Programme, known as PaRTneR 3.

Participants at Samoa’s National Stakeholder Scoping Workshop for the PaRTneR 3 disaster resilience programme. Photo: MNRE Samoa

Representatives from government agencies and other sectors discussed Samoa’s disaster risk priorities, information needs and opportunities to improve the country’s hazard and risk information systems.

The programme is intended to help Pacific countries make better-informed decisions by improving access to reliable information about climate hazards, natural disasters and community vulnerability.

The first two phases established national-scale risk knowledge products and rapid impact assessment tools. The third phase will focus on expanding the use of these systems, strengthening national ownership and ensuring risk information is applied more widely in planning and decision-making.

Photos: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Samoa

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Workshop discussions covered disaster risk management, climate change, meteorology and related sectors. The findings will help determine the proposed priorities and activities of PaRTneR 3 in Samoa.

The consultation is also expected to support stronger early-warning systems, emergency preparedness and risk-informed planning across government institutions.

PaRTneR 3 is jointly delivered by the Pacific Community and Earth Sciences New Zealand in collaboration with Samoa’s Disaster Management Office.