By Govind Tekale
$28.1 million has been allocated by Australia and New Zealand to establish disaster-response warehouses across 14 Pacific nations and Timor-Leste.
Photo Source: Google
Humanitarian aid will be stockpiled in these warehouses, ready to be distributed within the crucial first 48 hours following a disaster.
Pacific islands and Timor-Leste face extreme vulnerability to natural disasters, intensified by the ongoing climate crisis.
Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, these nations experience 90% of the world's seismic and volcanic activity.
This initiative is designed to provide immediate relief in regions with severe connectivity challenges, ensuring rapid response in emergencies.
The Pacific Humanitarian Warehouse Program is set to bolster disaster preparedness in some of the most remote and hard-to-reach areas on the planet.
The announcement comes during the Pacific Islands Forum, where leaders have long sought international aid to combat climate-related disasters.
Australia and New Zealand’s funding decision follows the Solomon Islands’ controversial 2022 security agreement with China.
The Pacific region’s strategic importance is growing, as global powers increasingly vie for influence in this critical area.
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