Attachments
The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster in the Pacific is led by the WFP Pacific Multi-Country Office (PMCO) and was activated in 2016 under the structure of the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) to support telecommunications preparedness in the region. Situation reports are distributed every quarter.
Highlights
• The Pacific ETC supported the Samoa Disaster Management Office (DMO) and Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) to conduct an ICT Capacity Assessment (ICA) from 04 to 14 June in Samoa. See the video here.
• The Pacific ETC supported the Fiji National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in a joint assessment of the Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) across Vitilevu, Fiji, from 03 to 07 June as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthen disaster preparedness.
• An Analysis of Organisational Training Needs (AOTN) survey was rolled out on 09 May, with responses gathered from various Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs). Based on the responses, reports have been compiled and shared for Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
ETC Activities
Coordination
The ETC in the Pacific is led by the WFP Pacific Multi Country Office (MCO) and was activated in 2016 under the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) to support telecommunications preparedness in the region. ETC funding in the Pacific is received under the WFP MultiCountry Strategic Plan (MCSP) and preparedness and emergency response activities carried out by the ETC in the Pacific are under the leadership of WFP. The Pacific ETC Terms of Reference (TOR) has been approved and disseminated with the relevant stakeholders. The TOR outlines the disaster preparedness and response activities that Pacific ETC anticipates to conduct on a needs-basis or at the request of government partners. The TOR serves as a foundational framework, detailing the strategic approach and operational guidelines for effectively addressing disaster-related challenges in the Pacific region. Furthermore, it highlights the collaborative nature of the Pacific ETC's efforts, emphasizing the importance of coordination with government partners to tailor responses to the unique needs of each situation.
Capacity strengthening
The Pacific ETC commenced a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) questionnaire-based survey on 09 May to underpin the regional Analysis of Organisational Training Needs (AOTN). The survey is used to better understand the national ICT emergency response training infrastructures, identify existing competencies, gaps in performance, and to lay a foundation for the delivery of ‘fit for purpose’ ICT and essential skills training solutions among the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). The AOTN strives to enhance local response capacities and focuses on elevating the resilience of regional actors through best practices and an emergency preparedness and response mindset. This proactive approach establishes an adaptive training system capable of effectively addressing regional ICT challenges in humanitarian emergency contexts.
Based on the data collected, comprehensive reports have been compiled and distributed to relevant authorities and stakeholders for five countries to date – Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu. The reports encapsulate the insights and observations from various stakeholders, providing a detailed overview of the current situation in each country and evidence of competency levels and training priorities of Pacific ETC stakeholders in ICT technical proficiency, emergency management, and essential skills. The findings will help to enhance Pacific ETC service delivery, ensuring well-prepared personnel and technological solutions for effective ICT support during disaster and humanitarian crises. The key findings are summarised as follows: