Overview
Through its interim Multi-Country Strategic Plan (iMCSP) 2019-2023, WFP prioritized close collaboration with national governments and communities across 15 Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) as well as regional clusters in their efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 17 (Global Partnerships). [1] WFP aimed to bolster emergency preparedness and response capacities and coordination mechanisms and enhance the collection and analysis of food security and nutrition data to inform the design of social protection interventions.
In 2022, WFP Pacific demonstrated its agility by providing support for national COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts, as well as responding to the volcanic eruption in Tonga and the drought in Kiribati. To streamline information sharing on the humanitarian situation, assess needs and deploy the appropriate responses, WFP facilitated coordination among partners and provided technical assistance through regional logistics, emergency telecommunications, food security clusters and the cash working group. Overall, counterparts were satisfied with WFP's leadership and services provided, as reflected in annual user surveys.
To augment logistics response and management capacities, WFP, through its leadership in the Pacific Logistics Cluster, facilitated two strategic training sessions on Humanitarian Logistics Management and Medical Logistics in Pandemics. To improve information sharing and coordination among partners, WFP facilitated the transition to the Stock of Humanitarian Organisations Logistics Mapping (STOCKHOLM) platform, providing a visual representation of pre-positioned humanitarian contingency stock in the Pacific. Furthermore, Logistics Capacity Assessments were conducted in Fiji, Tuvalu and the Federate State of Micronesia to map out the gaps and challenges in national logistics response infrastructure and services.
WFP, through the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), engaged with regional and national partners on telecommunications preparedness projects. The installation of an emergency communications system in Nauru, alongside training provided to government staff, was pivotal to supporting the national COVID-19 response. In addition, the ETC delivered training on disaster-emergency preparedness and response (D-EPR) to strengthen the capacity of telecommunications professionals in the Pacific to prepare for and respond to connectivity needs during crises.
WFP continued to ramp up its efforts on enhancing the system architecture and improving the knowledge base through evidence generation to inform effective government policy formulation and programming. WFP collaborated closely with national counterparts in five countries (i.e., Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu) to collect cross-sectional data through its mobile vulnerability analysis and mapping (mVAM) tool. As the global food crisis impacted economies in the region and further exacerbated the vulnerabilities of households at risk of food insecurity, WFP took active steps to prepare for an expansion of its remote data collection in the region, starting with the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. Furthermore, WFP, in partnership with the University of the South Pacific, introduced the use of the Market Functionality Index (MFI) and the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) in Fiji to better understand households’ ability to meet their essential needs.
WFP strengthened social protection systems in the Pacific to help households meet their essential needs and manage risks and shocks. As co-chair of the Pacific Regional Cash Working Group, WFP contributed to the development of an interactive platform that tracks all ongoing cash and voucher assistance activities to improve the coordination and effectiveness of cash-based interventions in the region. WFP also conducted a social protection mapping exercise in Kiribati, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu to identify the main actors, opportunities and key challenges, as well as the potential areas of support to be provided to national actors in expanding and strengthening the shock-responsiveness of the existing social protection systems.
In terms of common services provision, WFP continued to leverage its expertise in humanitarian logistics and supply chain management. The WFP-operated transit warehouse in Nadi, Fiji, supported the storage and prepositioning of relief items. The Pacific Humanitarian Air Service provided critical support to its partners, including governments and other United Nations agencies, to enable the movement of humanitarian personnel and the transport of essential cargo.
To better align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2027), WFP extended its iMCSP for six months until June 2023. WFP will continue working with national counterparts to advance food and nutrition security across the Pacific.