Pacific Islands

The Pacific is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. Small, vulnerable island states are isolated by vast expanses of ocean. They experience frequent and intense disasters with disproportionately high economic, social and environmental consequences. In 1999, OCHA established an Office of the Pacific (OoP) to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.

Based in Fiji, OCHA’s Office of the Pacific Islands covers 14 countries – Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. These 14 countries and territories are also the Areas of Responsibility of three UN Multi-Country Offices (MCOs), each having a UN Resident Coordinator (RC) who – in emergencies – functions as Humanitarian Coordinator. 

Emergency Preparedness & Response

The first responders in any emergency are disaster-affected people and their governments. OCHA’s OoP key objective is to support national efforts to protect the lives, livelihoods and dignity of people in need. International assistance can only be mobilized when a request is made by the affected government.

OCHA maintains a surge support capacity that allows the international humanitarian system to establish quick links with affected countries. It does this through the response capacity of its staff in the Pacific, the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system, OCHA global staff, standby partners, and through the coordination of the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) clusters and member organizations. This flexible approach allows OCHA to find different and appropriate solutions for assistance requests across the Pacific.

Pacific Humanitarian Team

To improve the timeliness, effectiveness, and predictability of humanitarian response in the region, OCHA Pacific established the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) in 2008. The PHT is a network of humanitarian organizations working together to assist Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) to prepare for and respond to disaster. 

It works with Pacific governments and partners to ensure that necessary arrangements and systems are in place to support nationally led disaster responses. The PHT was endorsed as a coordination body by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) in February 2012. PHT members include representatives of UN agencies, NGOs and the International Red Cross Movement (through the IFRC), and it functions through a cluster structure.