Dialogue and partnerships key for a more resilient future

Members of the regional media covering the council meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Former Wansolwara editor, fourth from left, Ana Ui’li is among the USP alumni at the meeting

By RUCI VAKAMINO

Dialogue and strong partnerships are the best way to deliver on the region’s shared goals of greater disaster resilience, says Solomon Islands environment minister Samuel Manetoali.

“We must continue to work with our partners and ensure that adequate resources are available to support the implementation of priority programmes and projects in our countries and territories,” he says.

“We must continue to collaborate and share knowledge, experiences and skills, in our efforts to build resilient societies.”

Manetoali was talking to 21 of the region’s meteorological experts at the fourth meeting of the Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC) in Honiara, Solomon Islands. He was delivering the opening address at the council meeting.

Meanwhile. in his outgoing address as council chairman, Ofa Fa’anunu expressed how proud he was of the council’s achievements in raising the profile of national meteorological services.

“Once upon a time, this gathering was a meeting of MET service directors where ideas were shared with very little hope of being supported and the profile of MET services was very low on the development agenda,” he says.

Dr Tommy Moore updates the council on the progress of the PIMOS panel.

“Now, the enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Service capacity in weather forecasting, early warning systems, long term projections and improved climate services to support decision making through the Pacific Meteorological Council is one of the key regional goals of SPREP  in its 2017-2026 Strategic Plan.”

The council elected its new members, with the Solomon Islands’ Meteorological (Met) Services’ director Llyod Tahanias as chairman, and Fiji’s Meteorological Services director Ravind Kumar as the vice chair.

The council’s meeting will conclude on Thursday and will be followed by the second Pacific Meteorological Ministerial Meeting (PMMM) on Friday.

The PMC and PMMM are supported by the Government of Solomon Islands, SPREP, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the Australian Government through the Climate and Oceans Support Programme (COSPPac) and Pacific Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning Programme (PACCSAP), the Government of Finland, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the United Nations Development Programme through the Resilience in the Pacific (SIDS) project.

The PMC consists of members of the Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services supported by its technical partners, regional organisations, non-government organisations and private sectors.

A dated picture taken in 2013 of a man paddling on the pristine waters of Halavo Island, Solomon Islands. (CREDIT: JENNY SCOTT)