Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Details Mission and objectives OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. The OCHA Office of the Pacific Islands covers the following countries and territories: Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Cook Islands, Niue, FSM, RMI, Palau, Nauru, and FSM. Context OCHA Office of the Pacific islands: 1. Provides a timely, needs-based and principled humanitarian response to people affected by disaster (emergency response); 2. Co-leads, coordinates and serves as the secretariat of the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) and ensures this regional humanitarian response mechanism is fit-for-purpose; 3. Ensures that humanitarian partners, including government entities,...

Details Mission and objectives The Pacific is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. Small, vulnerable island states are isolated by vast expanses of ocean. They experience frequent and intense disasters with disproportionately high economic, social and environmental consequences. In 1999, OCHA established an office for the Pacific (OP) to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. Emergency Preparedness & Response The first responders in any emergency are disaster-affected people and their governments. OCHA’s key objective is to support national efforts to protect the lives, livelihoods and dignity of people in need. International assistance can only be mobilized when a request is made by the affected government. OCHA maintains a surge support capacity that allows the international humanitarian system to establish quick links with affected countries. It does this...