Fiji is among countries that will be the first to benefit from state-of-the art techniques, provided under the joint Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI), which allow them to assess risks from natural disasters such as earthquakes and tropical cyclones. These techniques will assist the Ministry of Finance and the National Disaster Management Office in risk modelling and risk profiling, which in turn will help government draw up risk reduction measures, reports the Islands Business International.
Dr Russell Howorth, the Director of the Applied Geoscience and Technology Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC/SOPAC) believes "this will provide governments and other key stakeholders such as the private sector with critical data and information needed to inform future policies, strategies and decisions in respect of 'all' risk reduction measures as well as for underpinning sustainable development."