Project Summary:

UNDP has been supporting the Government of Papua New Guinea in reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience to disasters through building capacities and strengthening of disaster preparedness mechanisms and response procedures at the national and sub‐national level.

What we want to achieve:

• UNDP’s work in the area of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) is guided – and closely coordinated with other UN agencies - by the 4th pillar of the UNDAF 2012-2015, namely ‘Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management’;
• UNDP provides strategic support to the National Disaster Centre (NDC), which is the lead agency for DRM in Papua New Guinea (PNG), to strengthen its position within the wider governance context of PNG;
• Contribute to the enabling environment for effective disaster risk management (DRM) – including awareness, data collection, analysis, dissemination and utilization, legislative frameworks and mainstreaming DRM into planning/budgeting;
• Enhanced governance structures and systems to manage disaster risks – including institutional arrangements and capacities;
• Translate national and provincial DRM efforts into improved DRM at the local level;
• Strengthen preparedness and planning mechanisms and tools to manage disaster recovery processes at national and sub‐national levels;
• Enhance readiness of the Disaster Management Team members and the National Disaster Centre to prepare and respond to disasters;
• Improve joint UN support to Government in DRM sector, through joint planning and programming.

Project specific achievements:

1. Strengthening Disaster Risk Management in Papua New Guinea

Budget: USD 4.4m

Donors: DFAT, UNDP

Period: January 2015 – June 2019 (Phase I)

This project helps the Government of Papua New Guinea to strengthen its Disaster Risk Management capacities and is implemented in partnership with the National Disaster Centre (NDC). The following has been achieved to date:

• National DRR Framework (2017-2030) – Approved by NEC (2018) & Launched March 2019;
• National Recovery Framework – drafted & submitted to Govt (2017);
• Early Recovery plans developed for ARoB and WHP (2017);
• Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment Methodology developed for PNG (2017);
• Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment Team - established & trained (2017);
• Multi-Hazard Risk Assessments conducted in 5 provinces (2017):
  • Disaster Risk Baselines established for 5 provinces;
  • Disaster Risk Reduction Plans developed for 5 provinces;
• National Disaster Loss Database established within NDC (2016-2019);
• Capacity Development Plans developed for NDC and 5 provinces (2017-18);
• CHARM Training delivered to 8 provinces & Review of CHARM Program carried out;
• Developed standard template for provincial Disaster Management Plans (2018);
  • Developed Standard Operating Procedures – SOPS for: Tsunami, volcano; floods, landslides, Marine Search and Rescue, fire protection options for Buka/ARoB;
• Developed Tsunami Evacuation Plan for Buka – submitted to ARoB (2018);
• Supported integration of DRM into MTDP III (2017-2018);
• Improved Humanitarian Coordination Architecture:
  • Predictable humanitarian coordination system through the Disaster Management Team (DMT) and cluster system with regular monthly DMT meetings since Jul 2015;
  • Enhanced and sustained participation of INGOs and FBOs in DMT;
  • Establishment of Food Security Cluster (2016) & enhanced performance of Protection Cluster;
  • Establishment of information sharing portal for humanitarian community (HR.info);
• Enhanced DMT Emergency Preparedness and Response:
  • Establishment of Joint Interagency Needs Assessment Team;
  • Large-scale disasters supported through launch of humanitarian response plan, mobilization of humanitarian financing and coordination – 2015/16 El Nino, 2018 Highlands Earthquake;
  • Organized inter-agency operational review of Highlands earthquake response;
  • Carried out detailed Scoping of Recovery for Highlands earthquake;
  • Small-scale disasters supported through coordination of info sharing, assessments and local responses – seasonal floods in East Sepik (2016); seasonal floods and landslides in Jiwaka (2015, 2016); Manam eruption (2015, 2018); seasonal flooding in Central province (2018), Kadovar eruption (2018), earthquake in AROB (2017);
  • El Nino Early Action Planning 2017 & 2019;
  • Supported conduct of joint interagency Post Drought Needs Assessment 2016;
• Improved Humanitarian Standards:
  • Introduction of Gender Marker into benchmark for humanitarian actors in Kadovar response;
  • Country-specific standardized lists for food baskets and NFIs;
  • Redevelopment of Standardized Needs Assessment Tool;
  • Introduction of humanitarian principles to affected communities (CWC 2018);

2. RESPAC Project (Regional Project)

Total budget: USD 7,500,000 (total allocation for Pacific countries)

PNG allocation: USD 300,000

Donor: Russian Government

Period: 2017 - 2019

This is a regional project managed through UNDP Office in Suva, Fiji, and contributes towards improving Early Warning Systems and developing recovery capacities in the pacific region. In PNG, the project has supported procurement and installation of two Automated Weather Stations (in Chimbu and in Port Moresby). Both stations are currently operational.

3. Regional Tsunami Project

Total budget: USD 1,980,000 (total allocation for Asia-Pacific countries)

PNG allocation: USD 70,000

Donor: Japan

Period: January 2018 – May 2020 (including Phase I & Phase II)

This is a regional project managed through UNDP Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand, and contributes towards improving awareness for tsunami in schools. In PNG, the project has supported with organization and running of tsunami evacuation drills in 3 schools. The drills were organized by the National Disaster Centre, Department of Education, Department of Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management. As a result, 2,000 schoolchildren and members of school administrations were trained on tsunami evacuation procedures. School-based tsunami specific awareness raising materials have been developed and available for replication in other schools in the country. The 2^nd phase of the project covers period of December 2018 – May 2020.

Project Infor;

Project Documents

Strenghtening Disaster Risk Management in Papua New Guinea: Project Brief