Fiji

SG/SM/18718-ENV/DEV/1812

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, at a meeting with Pacific Island Forum leaders, in New York today:

Thank you very much, Prime Minister Tuilaepa, for convening this annual meeting and for your leadership as Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum. I thank Dame Meg Taylor, Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum, for her contribution to creating a strong partnership between our two organizations. And I thank you all for making such long journeys to be here at the United Nations.

by Tara R. Gingerich and Riccardo Vitale

What can we learn about resilience by examining completed resilience, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation projects? Oxfam conducted three such case studies in Bolivia, Colombia, and Fiji, looking at the conditions required for successful resilient development as well as issues around timing and duration. This synthesis report presents a summary of the three projects and distills the findings that were common to our analysis of them as well as a related climate change adaptation project in Vanuatu.

The following syndromes have been flagged:

Updates

Mumps:

Document Overview

The following syndromes have been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Federated States of Micronesia

Other updates

Malaria vector:

• New Caledonia health officials have identified the presence of the type of mosquito that can transmit malaria. It is not known when and how the Anopheles mosquitoes entered New Caledonia but they are now established in the area of La Tontouta, north of Noumea. Source: Personal communication with New Caledonia health official and media.

This case study draws on fieldwork in two communities in Fiji that participated in the 2002–05 Capacity Building to Enable the Development of Adaptation Measures in Pacific Island Countries (CBDAMPIC) project, one of the first adaptation projects in the Pacific that attempted to work at this community scale to build resilience to the longer-term impacts of climate change. In both communities, the project served as a catalyst for more resilient development, improving both absorptive and adaptive capacity with respect to water shortages.

Delegates from six Pacific countries have reviewed their use of data after disasters at a meeting in Fiji.

Read more on Radio New Zealand International.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The following syndromes have been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, French Polynesia, Niue

There are no updates this week.

This update extends the operation’s timeframe by one month, until 30 September 2017. The extension is to allow for the clearance of outstanding National Society working advance and the reconciliation of the appeal budget with expenses recorded. An Operations Update will be issued in late September to reflect the revision of plan of action.

All programmatic implementation has been completed. The final evaluation will be carried out in late October and the findings will be reflected in the Final Report expected by 31 December 2017.

Executive Summary

The Pacific region is known to be one of the most exposed to natural hazards and climate change in the world. Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are exposed to a wide variety of natural hazards, including cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, electrical storms, extreme winds, floods, landslides, storm surges, tsunami and volcanic eruptions. Some of these hazards will be exacerbated by climate change.

The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Fiji and the Pacific, His Excellency, Mr Andrew Jacobs and Australia's High Commissioner to Fiji, Her Excellency, Ms Margaret Twomey today handed over equipment valued at approximately F$330,000 (EUR €141,000) to Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) on behalf of the Training Support to the Fijian Sugarcane Industry project, marking the completion of the four-year project.

The following syndromes have been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands

Other updates

Dengue

• American Samoa: As of 17 August 2017, there have been 182 confirmed cases, dengue serotype-2 is in circulation. Source: American Samoa Department of Health

The main purpose of the Working Group is to improve tsunami warning and mitigation services and information sharing for the PICT’s.

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)- Pacific Tsunami Warning Systems (PTWS) Working Group on Tsunami Warning and Mitigation for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT’s) has successfully completed its 5th regional meeting that was held in Honiara, Solomon Islands from the 7th to the 9th of August.

Suva, Fiji 18 August 2017

Every year on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day brings the world together to rally support for people affected by humanitarian crisis and pay tribute to humanitarian workers who help them. World Humanitarian Day is a day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as part of a Swedishsponsored GA Resolution A/63/L.49.

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

The following syndromes have been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash:Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands
• Prolonged fever: Kiribati

Other updates

Influenza

• Australia is experiencing its worst ever flu season. There have been more than 70,000 cases reported. Experts are advising individuals to get immunized, if they have not been, to help prevent further cases. Source: Media

The following syndromes have been flagged:

Acute Fever and Rash:Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia

Other updates

Influenza A(H7N9) – human infection

• On 11, 14 and 21 July 2017 the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of three individual laboratory- confirmed cases of human infection with avian Infleunza A(H7N9) virus in China. All three cases reported to have exposure to a live poultry market. Source: WHO

11 August 2017, Indonesia: Fiji and Indonesia have signed a Plan of Action on Disaster Management Cooperation that will see the two countries exchange cooperation in the areas of disaster preparedness, management and response.

Fiji’s Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management permanent secretary Mr Meleti Bainimarama signed the cooperation with Indonesia’s Disaster Management secretary general, Mr Dody Ruswandi.