Lessons Learned from the Pacific on Disaster Risk Management Mainstreaming in SIDS 2006-2012

Following signing of the Pacific Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Management Framework for Action 2005-2015 (or Regional Framework for Action – RFA) in Madang, Papua New Guinea in 2005, SOPAC1 which had been mandated in 1995 to coordinate implementation of DRM activities in the Pacific sub- region, initiated work to mainstream disaster risk management in national policies, budget and all national sector plans. The integration of climate change concerns into national planning is led by another regional intergovernmental organization, SPREP2. Some of the other key actors that have provided funding to support this work include UNISDR, AusAID and the European Union. The mainstreaming process is currently under way in all 14 Pacific Islands countries, with varying levels of progress. To date, four countries have completed their DRM National Action Plans (NAP) –Vanuatu, RMI, Cook Islands and Samoa. Three countries have now finalized their Joint National Action Plans (JNAPs) – Tonga, Cook Islands, and Tuvalu - which seek to mainstream both disaster and climate risk into national and sub national planning and budgetary processes. This document attempts to capture and share a few key lessons learned from the Pacific which may be useful for other SIDS countries seeking to undertake similar efforts.