Localisation agenda must be renewed to strengthen humanitarian work amongst local actors in the Pacific

The climate crisis is an ever-growing concern for the Pacific Region, and the importance of local aid organisations to be prepared for, and respond to crises, is at an all-time high. The COVID-19 pandemic adds another layer of complexity and challenge to an already crisis-prone region of the world. 

A renewed focus on the localisation agenda in the Pacific has resulted in a number of developments such as the Auckland Summit, which was aimed at operationalising Grand Bargain localisation goals agreed at the Global Humanitarian Summit in 2016.

However, while 91% of Pacific Islands Countries are part of their national coordination mechanisms for the aftermath of an emergency, only 35% are engaged in international coordination mechanisms or meetings.

Additionally, of those who received capacity development support in the previous 12 months, only 46% agreed that the support received was completely relevant and appropriate.

These figures are disclosed today in a joint Pacific Resilience Partnership (PRP)’s Localisation Technical Working Group report, Humanitarian Action in the Pacific: Towards Strengthening Local Action in the Pacific. The report takes figures from a survey conducted across 19 Pacific Island Countries and Territories in 2020. 

According to the survey, whilst much work has been accomplished in the region, much more remains to be done.

The report also outlined the following recommendations for priority areas:
 

• Capacity development in specific areas such as gender, project management, financial management
• Strategies to enable flexible and simplified funding mechanisms that are easily accessible to local aid actors
• Support to maintain and strengthen shared ownerships with beneficiaries at community level
• Ensure that the local actors - particularly in the NGO community - are well represented in regional and national level coordination mechanisms.
• Local actors both at regional and national level continue to be meaningfully engaged and consulted on the development and review of relevant policies, frameworks, and legislation related to humanitarian action, disaster risk reduction and climate change.

Ms Katherine Mafi, Acting Executive Director for Tonga Family Health Association (TFHA) based in Nukualofa, Tonga, who is also a panelist at Tuesday’s report launch, said, “the greatest strength of local actors is that they are embedded in the rubric of local community. But we must ensure that these local actors, particularly in the NGO community, are well represented in regional and national level disaster coordination mechanisms. Only then can we truly achieve the localisation agenda.” 

For media enquiries, please contact:

1. Ms. Nanise Sikeci Volau

Communications Officer

Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (PIANGO)

m: (+679) 710 2753

e:  nanise@piango.org

2. Ms. Sharon Tohaimae

PRP communications focal point

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

+ 679 331 2600

Sharon_tohaimae@forumsec.org

Notes:

• The full report can be downloaded here:

  Humanitarian Action in the Pacific

• This survey was conducted over the period of 20 - 31 July 2020. During this period, approximately 123 responses were received from nineteen (19) Pacific Island Countries and Territories

• The Humanitarian Advisory Group provided financial and technical support to the PRP Localisation Technical Working Group in undertaking, completion of the survey and data analysis component as part of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) funded Humanitarian Horizons programme. 

The Pacific Resilience Partnership (PRP) was endorsed by Leaders in 2017 to support and facilitate effective implementation of the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific: An Integrated Approach to Address Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (FRDP). The establishment of the inclusive multi-stakeholder PRP, reflects concerted efforts to facilitate and increase capacity for a multi-actor response to climate change and disaster risk.The Technical Working Group (TWG) on Localisation was established in January 2020 to explore and progress localisation objectives in the context of resilient development. It provides a platform to progress the localisation agenda by bringing together a range of local, regional, and international actors whose work complements one another during any humanitarian emergency.