The Pacific Island region is one of the world’s most susceptible to natural disasters. Small, vulnerable island states are isolated by a vast expanse of ocean. They experience frequent and intense disasters with disproportionately high economic, social and environmental consequences.

In 1999 OCHA established a Regional Office in the Pacific. The office works with 14 countries in the Pacific Island region: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

In 2008, the OCHA Regional Office for the Pacific initiated a regional cluster arrangement called the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT). The PHT is a collaboration of all the major humanitarian actors that provide assistance throughout the Pacific Island region. It consists of UN agencies, regional and bilateral organizations, national and international non-government organizations, faith and community based organizations and donor partners. The PHT’s objective is to ensure a coordinated international humanitarian response in the Pacific that is effective, predictable, accountable and achieved through partnership.

The OCHA Regional Office for the Pacific is now supporting countries in the Pacific Island region to develop their own national cluster arrangements. Currently, the OCHA Regional Office for the Pacific is working with partners in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Samoa to establish national cluster systems and will continue to expand this to other countries in the coming months.

More>> Pacific Humanitarian Team website

Documents >>

•  PHT Performance Review (2008-2012)
•  PHT Performance Review Survey Results (2008-2012)

Contacts

OCHA Pacific
c/o UNDP Private Mail Bag
Suva, Fiji Islands
Tel: +679 331 6760
Fax: +679 330 9762
ochapacific@unocha.org