(contenu disponible en anglais uniquement)
Remarks by SPC’s GEM Deputy Director for Disaster and Community Resilience Programme (DCRP), Mr Exsley Taloiburi for the Second Regional Co-Design workshop for Integrate Pasifika
Salutations:
Distinguished colleagues, partners, and friends,
I am honoured to speak with you today on an initiative that represents a significant step forward in how we approach information sharing and decision-making in our Pacific region.
As we gather here today, I'm reminded of my recent experience at the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) in Manila.
Despite our small Pacific delegation among over 3,000 attendees, we made a remarkable impact by sharing our stories about early warning systems, disaster risk financing, and our work in water security and social inclusion.
We proudly showcased our Pacific culture and expertise.
However, this experience raised an important question: What happens to all this valuable knowledge after such events? How do we maintain meaningful connections with experts who could provide crucial insights into our work?
This question brings me to Integrate Pasifika, a vital component of MFAT's Climate Change Programme Information for Decision Making intervention. This initiative isn't just another project – it represents a fundamental shift in how we approach regional collaboration and knowledge sharing.
As you know, our Pacific Island Countries face unique challenges due to our small size, remote location, and high vulnerability to climate change and disaster risks. These factors make it crucial that we maximize our collective knowledge and resources.
Integrate Pasifika builds upon our years of experience and careful evaluation of disaster risk assessment initiatives implemented by the Pacific Community with countries and technical partners. It focuses on four key areas:
- investing in improving data quality and analysis capabilities. This isn't just about collecting more data – it's about collecting better, more meaningful data that serves our specific Pacific context.
- enhancing the tools we use to collect, analyze, and present information. This includes leveraging both modern technology and traditional knowledge systems.
- developing information products and services, providing targeted training, and improving coordination across government bodies and with the public.
- Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, we're creating a framework for blending indigenous science and knowledge with modern research methodologies. This approach acknowledges that our traditional knowledge systems hold valuable insights that complement contemporary scientific understanding.
What makes Integrate Pasifika different from other initiatives is its focus on creating sustainable connections. We're not just building a platform – we're cultivating a living ecosystem that will exist beyond project timelines. It will serve as a permanent space where national counterparts can share information, exchange learnings, and collaborate effectively.
We're already seeing this in action through our national GIS & Remote Sensing User groups and disaster risk financing technical working groups.
These groups demonstrate the power of structured collaboration and knowledge sharing.
But our vision extends further. We want Integrate Pasifika to become the go-to place for connecting with people who share our interests and challenges. It should be a space where best practices are exchanged, where peer learning thrives, and where innovative solutions to our regional challenges are born.
As we move forward with this initiative, I invite all of you to actively participate in shaping its development. Your insights, experiences, and perspectives are crucial to ensuring that Integrate Pasifika truly serves the needs of our Pacific community.
Thank you.
