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Papua New Guinea: Up to 40 missing in PNG landslide - report

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Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Country: Papua New Guinea

SYDNEY, Dec 6 (Reuters) - As many as 40 people are missing in Papua New Guinea after a landslide hit in the vicinity of a gold mine, the Australia Broadcasting Corp said on Saturday, and an Australian rescue team was on its way to help in the search.

The bodies of 10 dead, including those of three children, had been recovered from the site already, an Australian government official who declined to be identified said.

The Australian rescue team of around five including dog handlers was sent at the request of the PNG government, a spokesman for Emergency Management Australia said by telephone.

"We still don't really know how many are buried. They think that the village itself had about that many people," Alastair Wilson said, referring to the figure of 40 missing.

The landslide happened on Thursday at the Kora exploration camp of the Kainantu gold mine site, east of Goroka, the capital of Eastern Highlands province.

The rescue service spokesman told Reuters the landslide was not actually at the mine itself but some distance away.

The mine is operated by Canadian-based mining giant Barrick Gold <ABX.TO>.

The rescue team was expected to fly up to the site on arrival in Papua New Guinea and be there later on Saturday.

(Editing by Jerry Norton)


Papua New Guinea: Aus relief workers fly out to PNG landslide

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Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Country: Papua New Guinea

Five Australians are flying to Papua New Guinea to help search for about 40 people missing in a landslide at a gold mine in the country's Eastern Highlands.

Nine people have so far been found dead in the landslip that happened on Thursday at the Barrick Gold mine site.

Gary Littlewood from Queensland Fire and Rescue says the PNG government has requested Australia's help.

"The landslip is at a mine - there's a village attached to the mine and it's about 650 kilometres north-west of Port Moresby, it's up in the highlands," he said.

"A liaison officer from...Emergency Management Australia in Canberra [has joined us] and we have a team leader and two canines and a paramedic."

Papua New Guinea: Australian team flies to PNG for mudslide rescue

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Source: Xinhua
Country: Papua New Guinea

CANBERRA, Dec 06, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) - An Australian rescue team flew to Papua New Guinea Saturday afternoon in hopes to find survivors more than two days after a landslide killed ten PNGs at a remote goldmine camp in the eastern part of the country.

Extreme rainfall triggered a landslide on Thursday that killed five mine exploration workers in their rooms and five local villagers who were travelling through the area from a nearby food garden.

Among the Australian task force that flew into PNG was team leader Stephen Smith, two dog handlers, a paramedic/safety officer and a liaison officer from Emergency Management Australia, Australian Associated Press reported from PORT MORESBY, capital of PNG.

The team is expected to arrive by helicopter early on Sunday Morning at Kora, near Barrick's Kainantu mine in PNG's Eastern Highlands Province, the report said.

Despite the timeframe and more heavy rain, Stephen Smith told reporters at Port Moresby's Jacksons Airport they were "on the optimistic side of the fence".

"There is always a chance that has been proven in the past that people have been able to survive those periods of time (more than 48 hours)," AAP quoted Smith as said.

"The use of the canine capacity and technical search capacity, that we brought up, means there is potential for us to have a nice outcome," he said.

PNG's Highlands are prone to landslides due to the region's often heavy rains and mountainous terrain.

Papua New Guinea: Australian dog team searches PNG landslide site

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Source: Reuters - AlertNet
Country: Papua New Guinea

SYDNEY, Dec 7 (Reuters) - An Australian search and rescue team sent to a mining exploration camp in Papua New Guinea hit by a devastating landslide had found no more dead bodies after the initial 10 dead, an Australian government aid official said on Sunday.

All the local people affected by the landslide in Eastern Highlands province in the vicinity of a gold mine had been accounted for, the official, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.

Dozens of people were earlier feared to have been trapped after the landslide struck on Thursday.

The Australia Broadcasting Corporation quoted an AusAid spokesman a saying that headcounts done in nearby villages had indicated everyone was accounted for.

The Australian emergency team of around five, including dog handlers with search dogs, was sent in on Saturday at the request of Papua New Guinea.

"The search and rescue dogs did a grid search and were not able to find any more people," the official said. "So they think the site has now been cleared.

The landslide happened at the Kora exploration camp of the Kainantu gold mine site, east of Goroka, the capital of Eastern Highlands province. The site is operated by Canadian-based mining giant Barrick Gold.Corporation. <ABX.TO>

(Sydney newsroom +61 2 93731800; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

Papua New Guinea: Search for PNG mudslide survivors called off

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Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Country: Papua New Guinea

A search by Australian emergency workers for potential survivors caught in a mudslide in Papua New Guinea has been called off.

Search and Rescue workers arrived in PNG yesterday after heavy rain caused a land slip which claimed 10 lives.

The landslip happened on Thursday night near Kainantu in the Eastern Highlands and killed 10 people, including three children.

Five of the victims were Barrick Gold mine employees who were working at the remote exploration sight.

The Australian search and rescue team, including two sniffer dogs, found no signs of life after a comprehensive search of the 30 by 50 metre site.

It is understood head counts undertaken in surrounding villages indicate that no people remain unaccounted for.

PNG asked the Australian Government to provide a search and rescue assistance.

AusAid coordinated the response and the rescue team is now preparing to return to Australia.

Papua New Guinea: PNG floods leave more than 700 homeless

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Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Country: Papua New Guinea

More than 700 people in Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands province have been left homeless after a river burst its banks following weeks of heavy rain, local media has reported.

An estimated 25 hectares (62 acres) of land was inundated when the Waghi River flooded early Tuesday morning (local time), swamping vegetable gardens, cash crops and livestock, the National newspaper said.

The country's National Disaster Centre committed $58,000 to the Western Highlands provincial government to help more than 700 displaced villagers in the Dei region, it said.

Community leader Gabriel Nolai said the works department and two local construction companies were partly to blame for failing to build adequate drainage.

Papua New Guinea: Landslide kills schoolchildren in PNG

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Source: Agence France-Presse
Country: Papua New Guinea

SYDNEY, March 4, 2009 (AFP)- At least seven people, including four children, were killed in a landslide after torrential rains in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, local media reported Wednesday.

The toll was expected to rise as more people were believed to be trapped under the debris, which engulfed two buses and three houses near Watabung on the Okuk Highway on Tuesday, the National newspaper said.

Four primary schoolgirls on their way to school on one of the buses were reported to be among the seven dead, with a number of other passengers unaccounted for as search and rescue efforts continued.

"We presume that more people are dead when you calculate the number of people on the two buses, and many who could have been around the area," National Disaster Service chairman Manasupe Zurenuoc told the Post-Courier.

A smaller landslip had cut the highway on Monday and buses were stopping at either side of the debris to allow people to walk across and continue to their destinations when the second landslide occurred, he said.

"What has occurred is unfortunate. People living along the highway must take precautions during this heavy downpour the country is experiencing," he said.

Hundreds of people in the Western Highlands province of the impoverished Pacific island nation were left homeless last month after a river burst its banks following weeks of heavy rain.

lb/jah

Copyright (c) 2009 Agence France Presse
Received by NewsEdge Insight: 03/03/2009 20:51:52

Papua New Guinea: Recovery effort underway after deadly PNG landslide

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Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Country: Papua New Guinea

Steve Marshall, PNG correspondent

A major land slip in Papua New Guinea has killed at least 14 people, including seven children.

Heavy rain in the Eastern Highlands caused a hill to give way near a rural bus stop.

An avalanche of mud slammed into the area and completely covered a 15 seater bus parked on the side of the highway.

Seven children have been confirmed among the dead.

Disaster authorities say it's unclear just how many people have been killed because recovery efforts are being hampered local landowners.

They are demanding compensation money from the government before allowing the search to take place.


Fiji: Commission decision on the financing of emergency humanitarian actions from the general budget of the European Communities in the Pacific

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Source: European Commission Humanitarian Aid department
Country: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands

(ECHO/-PA/BUD/2009/01000)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No.1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning humanitarian aid(1) , and in particular Article 2(a) and Article 13 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On the 8 December 2008 high seas and king tides started hitting Papua New Guinea. A few days later, prolonged rainfall caused by tropical depression severely battered Fiji. Consequently, both countries have been affected by floods. On 29 and 30 January heavy floods affected the Solomon Islands.

(2) There have been serious disruptions of access to basic health services and to clean water, damage to the sewerage systems as well as displacement of people and losses of livelihoods and household possessions.

(3) To reach populations in need, emergency aid should be channelled through Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or International Organisations including United Nations (UN) agencies. Therefore the European Commission should implement the budget by direct centralized management or by joint management.

(4) For the purposes of this Decision, the Pacific countries involved are Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Solomon Islands.

(5) Humanitarian aid Actions financed by this Decision should be of a maximum duration of 6 months.

(6) It is estimated that an amount of EUR 700,000 from budget article 23 02 01 of the general budget of theuropean Communities is necessary to provide humanitarian assistance to over 50,000 people, taking into account the available budget, other donors' contributions and other factors. Therefore the activities covered by this Decision may be financed in full in accordance with Article 253 of the Implementing Rules of the Financial Regulation.

(7) The present Decision constitutes a financing Decision within the meaning of Article 75 of the Financial Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002(2), Article 90 of the detailed rules for the implementation of the Financial Regulation determined by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002(3), and Article 15 of the Internal Rules on the Implementation of the general budget of the European Communities(4).

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1. In accordance with the objectives and general principles of humanitarian aid, the Commission hereby approves a total amount of EUR 700,000 for emergency humanitarian aid Actions to provide the necessary assistance and relief to the local population affected by floods in the Pacific by using budget article 23 02 01 of the 2009 general budget of the European Communities.

2. In accordance with Article 2(a) of Council Regulation No.1257/96, the humanitarian Actions under this Decision shall be implemented in the pursuance of the following specific objective:

- To provide multi-sector emergency relief and recovery assistance to victims of floods in Fiji and the Solomon Islands and to victims of tidal waves in Papua New Guinea

The full amount of this Decision is allocated to this specific objective.

Article 2

1. The implementation of humanitarian aid Actions funded by this Decision shall have a maximum duration of 6 months from their starting date.

2. Expenditure under this Decision shall be eligible from 1 January 2009.

3. If the Actions envisaged in this Decision are suspended owing to force majeure or comparable circumstances, the period of suspension shall not be taken into account for the calculation of the duration of the humanitarian aid Actions.

Article 3

1. The Commission shall implement the budget by direct centralised management or by joint management with international organisations.

2. Actions supported by this Decision will be implemented either by non-profit-making organisations which fulfil the eligibility and suitability criteria established in Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1257/96 or International organisations.

3. Taking account of the specificities of humanitarian aid, the nature of the activities to be undertaken, the specific location constraints and the level of urgency, the activities covered by this Decision may be financed in full in accordance with Article 253 of the Implementing Rules of the Financial Regulation.

Article 4

This Decision shall take effect on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels

For the Commission
Member of the Commission

Papua New Guinea: PNG officials fear more buried under landslide

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Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Country: Papua New Guinea

Firmin Nanol

A major landslip in the Papua New Guinea highlands has killed seven people, and officials say more could be buried under the debris.

Official estimates of the death toll had been revised down from an earlier figure of 14 dead.

The landslide has cut-off the Highlands Highway, which links the region with the coastal ports of the country.

The landslip in the Eastern Highlands province cut off the highlands highway on Monday this week.

A second one in the same area in the early hours of Tuesday morning killed seven people and injured seven others.

Four school girls are among those who were buried alive by mudslides and debris.

Disaster officials have retrieved some bodies, but more are believed to be trapped under the debris.

They say water trucks and pumps will be used to clear mud and debris to retrieve bodies.

Efforts to clear the highway have been hampered by locals who are asking for payment for their land.

The closure of the road is also affecting businesses, restricting the movement of people in other parts of the highlands region.

Fiji: European Commission provides humanitarian aid worth €700,000 in Pacific island countries

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Source: European Commission Humanitarian Aid department
Country: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands

Brussels, 9 March 2009 - The Commission has taken a humanitarian decision for €700,000 to provide assistance to communities affected by floods in Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. More than 50,000 people will benefit from this decision. There will be a particular focus on actions to treat and prevent the spread of waterborne diseases. The funds are managed by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel.

Beginning in early December 2008, a combination of exceptionally high tides and tropical depressions led to serious coastal flooding in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Latest reports are that an estimated 40,000 people are affected. A few weeks later, prolonged heavy rainfall brought flooding to Fiji where 11 people died and 10,000 were displaced. A high risk of outbreak of diseases such as dengue, typhoid and leptostripirosis was identified. At the end of January, heavy floods struck the Solomon Islands, especially the islands of Guadalcanal and Savo, resulting in 10 deaths and causing substantial damage in a number of villages. Up to 40,000 people living in the worst-affected areas require assistance.

A Commission humanitarian expert has visited the region and the most urgent needs have been identified. The main components covered by the decision will be:

- provision of clean drinking water, containers, tanks, filters and purification tablets;

- rehabilitation of water and sewerage systems;

- hygiene interventions;

- supply of blankets, clothing, mosquito nets and plastic sheeting for temporary shelters.

- health actions designed to treat and prevent outbreaks of diarrhoea, respiratory infection, malaria and dengue fever.

Papua New Guinea: PNG landslide leaves one missing, 1,000 homeless

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Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Country: Papua New Guinea

A child is reportedly missing in the Papua New Guinea highlands following a major landslip that has left up to 1,000 people homeless.

The landslide, in PNG's Enga province, has forced a river to change its course and destroyed an entire village.

It has also cut off access to the Porgera gold mine in the province.

Disaster officials are assessing the damage.

Last week, a similar landslip in the eastern highlands killed seven people.

Authorities are warning heavy rains will continue that could cause more landslips and flooding.

Papua New Guinea: Landslides, floods wreck crops in PNG

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Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Country: Papua New Guinea

Sam Seke

Landslides and floods have destroyed food gardens and cash crops in the northern Papua New Guinea coastal province of Madang.

Local government member for Almami, Robert Utukai, has told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program the damage occurred in the Bogia district, after almost a week of heavy rain.

The livelihood of about 140 families is affected and local infrastructure has been destroyed.

No deaths have been reported and homes have been largely spared in the flooding and landslips, but authorities say the affected communities have lost their source of food and income and need help.

The Madang Provincial Disaster Management Office says it will send officers to assess the situation.

Fiji: Pacific: Appeal No. MAA55001 - Annual report 2008

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Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies
Country: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands

This report covers the period 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008

In brief

Summary:

The International Federation's Pacific regional office continues to provide essential support to the region in disaster management, health and care and organizational development. A regional partnership meeting was held in Vanuatu in April 2008 with all operating and partner national societies to determine regional directions and identify priority support areas from the national society perspective.

Key achievements in disaster management in 2008 include the first regional disaster response team training organized and carried out in the Pacific, strengthening the response capacity of the Red Cross in the region to future disasters. In addition, disaster management activities continue to be carried out with National Societies including Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga and Kiribati Islands, contributing towards increased awareness in disaster risk reduction and, in the Cook Islands, assistance to communities to address challenges identified in community assessments. The Red Cross activities highlight low cost actions that communities can take to mitigate the potential impacts of climate change. Cooperation between National Societies also continues to take place, fully utilizing technical expertise and best practices available in the region. The regional office also continued to provide support to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea Red Cross societies to respond to ongoing disaster operations in the respective countries.

In health and care, the Pacific component of the International Federation's HIV Global Alliance was launched successfully with four National Societies - Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa and Cook Islands-- joining in as members. Other achievements include the successful facilitation of a regional community-based health and first aid workshop in March, the second of its kind globally, which introduced the participants to the new 'community-based first aid in action' process, in particular the new volunteer's manual. Also, the International Federation and the Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation (PIAF) signed a memorandum of understanding which reaffirms the International Federation's commitment to work with people living with HIV as an integral component of its HIV response, and for both organizations to share resources and support each other while jointly responding to HIV in the region.

Under the organizational development programme, the regional office provided support in the different stages of revision and implementation of statutes with Palau, Kiribati and Fiji Red Cross Societies. The Federated States of Micronesia Red Cross Society has completed a draft five-year strategic plan as well as an action plan for 2009, and the other national societies have outlined their intent to instigate a revision of their respective plans. National society newsletters continue to be circulated within the region, and Pacific national societies renewed their commitment toward peer support among themselves to increase capacity and mutual support throughout the Pacific at the partnership meeting in April. Concurrently, the regional office strengthened its ties with the other regions in the Asia Pacific through the International Federation's Asia Pacific zone office to improve opportunities for support to national societies.

Financial situation: The total 2008 budget was revised down from CHF 3,603,911 (USD 3.17 million or EUR 2.39 million) to CHF 2,614,539 (USD 2.3 million or EUR 1.73 million). The revised budget is 64 per cent covered. Expenditure overall was 69 per cent of available income. The budget revision, which took place in December, is a result of the Papua New Guinea appeal which was absorbed into the Pacific regional appeal. Taking into consideration the allocated timeframe in which the country office in Papua New Guinea was still operational, the original budget allocated to Papua New Guinea was revised down from CHF 1,203,563 to CHF 214,181, resulting in the new overall budget reflected in the financial report attached.

No. of people we help: The Pacific regional office supports a total of 14 national societies in the region.

Our partners: During this reporting period, the regional office worked with the 14 national societies in the region, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in two countries, the whole United Nations (UN) family based in Suva as well as national and regional organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), the Pacific Island AIDS Foundation (PIAF), the Secretariat of Pacific Communities (SPC), the Asia Foundation/ office of U.S. foreign disaster assistance (TAF/OFDA), AusAID and NZAID. Additional support from within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement include the American, Australian, French, Japanese, New Zealand and Netherlands Red Cross Societies.

The International Federation, on behalf of the national societies in the Pacific region, would like to thank the abovementioned partners for their generous support

Papua New Guinea: In Brief: Disaster preparedness mission concludes in Papua New Guinea

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Source: IRIN
Country: Papua New Guinea

BANGKOK, 15 May 2009 (IRIN) - A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team has concluded a two-week disaster preparedness mission to Papua New Guinea (PNG).

"The mission is important to the government as it will independently review the ongoing efforts of the proposed new arrangement of managing disasters in future," Vini Talai, humanitarian affairs analyst for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told IRIN on 15 May, from Port Moresby, the capital.

The mission included five other provinces: Bougainville, East New Britain, Eastern Highlands, Morobe and Northern.

"The provinces were selected by the National Disaster Centre from the four different regions of PNG and on the basis that they are all disaster provinces," Talai explained.

One of the most disaster prone-countries in the region, PNG is prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, drought, tropical cyclones, floods and landslides.

In addition, the country has experienced man-made disasters such as oil spills, industrial pollution, unregulated land use, environment degradation caused by development activities and population movements.

ds/mw


Micronesia (Federated States of): Pacific: Appeal No. MAA55001 - Programme update

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Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies
Country: Micronesia (Federated States of), Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Vanuatu

This report covers the period 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2009.

In brief

Programme summary:

The Pacific regional office works with and supports a total of 12 national societies and two in formation in the region, including Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati Islands, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

In this reporting period, the regional office continues to engage with national societies in the region on disaster management, health and care as well as organizational development to support the most vulnerable in the region.

National society reports indicate that collectively, Red Cross emergency operations in the region have, so far, enabled a total of 5,880 vulnerable families (29,390 vulnerable women, men, girls and boys) to transcend immediate distress and start to rebuild their lives after disaster. Additional assistance to Pacific national societies, including the maintenance, repair, stocking, and in some cases, replacement of the container in its entirety, was made possible with the support of the International Federation and Australia, Japanese and New Zealand Red Cross. In this reporting period, successful efforts have been made to repair and re-stock containers in Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. Disaster risk reduction projects were also conducted in Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga.

The international disaster response laws, rules and principles (IDRL) delegate arrived in Suva in January and has, in the initial months of the IDRL Pacific programme, focused on advocacy and dissemination of the IDRL guidelines, and initial preparations for regional- and national-level IDRL training to be conducted this year.

In health and care, Global Alliance on HIV members including Kiribati, Cook Islands, Samoa and the Federated States of Micronesia continue to work with youths and communities in raising awareness and sensitization to HIV. A seven-day Pacific regional training workshop on project planning, monitoring and evaluation was held in Suva in February with participants from Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu Red Cross. To address the recent outbreak and escalation of A (H1N1) on a global level, the regional health delegate prepared and shared with all the Pacific national societies materials to provide rapid orientation for the staff and volunteers in the national societies on A (H1N1) and how to plan for responding to the pandemic.

In organizational development, there continues to be healthy and mutual support between all national societies in the region on a range of issues including fundraising initiatives, constitution revision and strategic planning. In addition, Tonga, Samoa and Solomon Islands resubmitted their specific organizational development support (SoS) applications in February and were approved in May 2009, and the Asia Pacific zone volunteering development manager will be supporting them in the coming months with this initiative.

Financial situation: The total 2009 budget is CHF 1,988,504 (USD 1.82 million or EUR 1.3 million), revised down from the original budget of CHF 2,307,203 (USD 2.11 million or EUR 1.51 million). The plan is 76 per cent covered to date. Expenditure from January to May 2009 is 20 per cent of the total 2009 budget.

See also:

Solomon Islands: Earthquake and tsunami (MDRSB001), Final Report

Papua New Guinea: Cyclone Guba (MDRPG002), Final Report

Papua New Guinea: Floods (MDRPG003), DREF operation update no. 1

Cook Islands: Dengue outbreak (MDRCK001), DREF operation

No. of people we help: The Pacific regional office supports a total of 14 national societies in the region.

Our partners: During this reporting period, the regional office worked with the 14 national societies in the region, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, the whole United Nations (UN) family based in Suva as well as national and regional organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the Pacific Island AIDS Foundation (PIAF), the Secretariat of Pacific Communities (SPC), the Asia Foundation/ office of U.S. foreign disaster assistance (TAF/OFDA), AusAID and NZAID. The Pacific appeal is supported by Australian Red Cross/ Australian government, Canadian Red Cross/ Canadian government, Red Cross Society of China/ Chinese government, Japanese Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross/ Norwegian government and the Spanish Red Cross. Funding support was also provided by the Global Fund from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Israel government.

The International Federation, on behalf of the national societies in the Pacific region, would like to thank the abovementioned partners and donors for their generous support.

Fiji: The future is here: climate change in the Pacific

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Source: Oxfam
Country: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

New report on climate change impacts in the Pacific highlights need for action now

An Oxfam report published today highlights that Pacific Islanders are already feeling the effects of climate change and need greater support to address the dramatic effects in the region.

The Future is Here: climate change in the Pacific documents how people are facing increasing food and water shortages, dealing with rising cases of malaria, coping with more frequent flooding and storm surges, losing land and being forced from their homes. The report argues that unless wealthy, developed countries like New Zealand and Australia take urgent action to curb emissions, some island nations face the very real threat of becoming uninhabitable.

Pacific leaders will raise the issue of climate change with Prime Minister John Key at the Pacific Islands Forum from August 4-7.

Oxfam New Zealand Executive Director Barry Coates said with only months to go until the crucial UN climate change conference in Copenhagen in December, it was clear New Zealand needed to show Pacific leaders it was willing to do its fair share to address one of the most pressing challenges in the region.

"Climate change has the potential to affect almost every issue linked to poverty and development in the Pacific. Without immediate action 50 years of development gains in poor countries will be permanently lost," said Coates. "It's important for the Government to show its neighbours at the Pacific Islands Forum that New Zealand is serious about our responsibility for climate change and our commitment to help vulnerable communities deal with it," he added.

The report details how Pacific Islanders are already adapting to their changing climate. Fijians, for example, are taking steps to 'climate-proof' their villages by trialling salt-resistant varieties of staple foods, planting mangroves and native grasses to halt coastal erosion, protecting fresh water wells from saltwater intrusion and relocating homes and community buildings away from vulnerable coastlines.

Elsewhere, the Malaita provincial government in the Solomon Islands is looking for land to resettle people from low-lying outer atolls, while people living in the Federated States of Micronesia are facing food and water shortages and moving to higher ground.

The report argues that the fairest and most cost-effective way of dealing with climate change is to ensure the most extreme impacts are avoided altogether. As the two wealthy countries in the region with high per capita pollution, New Zealand and Australia must prevent further climate damage to the Pacific by adopting a strong mid-term target for greenhouse gas reductions - at least 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 - and urging other developed countries to do the same.

"The lives, homes, livelihoods, food and water of many Pacific communities are under threat. These people have done almost nothing to cause the climate crisis. New Zealand has a responsibility to act now by reducing our own emissions, helping our neighbours adapt to the climate change impacts they are already experiencing, and supporting their development on a low-carbon pathway.

Not only is it in our best interests, it will help create a safer, more sustainable and more peaceful future for the Pacific," said Coates.

Fiji: Government must listen to Pacific leaders on trade and climate change

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Source: Oxfam
Country: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

Government must listen to Pacific leaders on trade and climate change

Trade negotiations between Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Pacific leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns this week must not plunge Pacific people already hit by the economic crisis, food crisis and climate change further into poverty, says leading international aid agency Oxfam.

With overall growth in the Pacific expected to slow, and falls in tourism, remittances and exports resulting from the global financial crisis likely to hit hard, any new trade arrangements must prioritise development to truly benefit Pacific nations, says Oxfam Australia Executive Director Andrew Hewett (who will be in Cairns).

Negotiations for a new free trade agreement, the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations, known as 'PACER Plus', between Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, are on the agenda this week.

"Trade can be critical in helping lift people out of poverty, but the proposed rapid trade liberalisation in Pacific Island countries runs the risk of undermining development rather than enhancing it," Mr Hewett said.

"Concerns for Pacific nations include potential loss of small businesses and jobs, as local firms are placed in direct competition with better-resourced Australian companies; loss of government revenue through removal of tariffs and import duties - leading to cuts to health and education services; threats to agriculture from loss of tariffs on food imports, and lack of capacity to monitor and control the timing and process of the negotiations."

He said Pacific Island countries were already negotiating a number of trade agreements and initiatives with other countries, and needed time to consider all the implications of a PACER Plus agreement with Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Hewett said new Oxfam research suggested viable alternatives to PACER Plus, including an economic cooperation agreement with the Pacific's development at its core.

Meanwhile, the Pacific Islands Forum is an opportunity for the Government to join with Pacific leaders in their call for urgent action on climate change to prevent further damage in the region.

Mr Hewett said climate change was contributing to increasing food and water shortages, people losing their land and being forced from their homes, rising cases of malaria, and more frequent flooding and storm surges.

"For people in the Pacific, climate change is a reality now," Mr Hewett said. "The Australian Government must begin a real process of partnership with Pacific Island countries in finding ways to prevent further climate change, adapt where possible, and prepare for and assist with the resettlement of Pacific Island people who will be displaced by global warming.

He said the Government's commitment of $150 million to help Pacific Islanders adapt to climate change needed to be at least doubled to meet the most urgent adaptation needs in the Pacific. This must be in addition to Australia's existing aid commitments so that crucial poverty alleviation efforts were not compromised.

Please contact Laurelle Keough (0409 960 100, laurellek@oxfam.org.au) for interviews or briefings with Oxfam Australia Executive Director Andrew Hewett or Economic Justice Coordinator Kelly Dent.

Fiji: Pacific Islands Forum fails on climate change and trade

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Source: Oxfam
Country: Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

The failure of the Pacific Islands Forum to match Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's ambitious rhetoric with meaningful action on climate change will spell further disaster for the Pacific's small island states already suffering the impacts of rising sea levels and more frequent cylones and storms, international aid agency Oxfam Australia said today.

Oxfam Australia spokesperson Kelly Dent, in Cairns during the Pacific Islands Forum, said people in the Pacific had lost an opportunity for crucial support to tackle the escalating effects of climate change.

"The Forum leaders encouragingly stated they would garner international support for a good outcome at the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December," Ms Dent said.

"However, a good outcome will only be achieved if developed countries like Australia cut their collective emissions by 40 per cent and commit to funding to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change.

"Instead, the announcement of a call for a global emissions reduction target of 50 per cent by 2050 does not reflect the urgent action the science says is needed to prevent catastrophic climate change.

"By then, the people of Kiribati may well be swimming. By contrast, the G8 leaders recently agreed to 80 per cent global emissions reductions by 2050."

Ms Dent said Australia needed to adopt a short-term emissions reduction target of 40 per cent by 2020 and commit new money to help Pacific Island peoples adapt to climate change.

She said it was disappointing that Australia had not committed any new money to help Pacific Island peoples adapt.

The current $150 million, committed in the lead-up to the 2007 election, must be at least doubled simply to meet the urgent most adaptation needs in the region.

Ms Dent said the Forum decision to press forward with negotiations on a new free trade agreement between Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific nations, PACER Plus (the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations), was disappointing.

"Trade negotiations are being pushed ahead despite Pacific leaders requesting time and resources to consult with businesses and communities on the likely impact of trade liberalisation on Pacific economies," Ms Dent said.

"Trade can be critical in helping lift people out of poverty, but what is on the table for negotiation runs the risk of undermining development rather than enhancing it, and adversely affecting generations to come."

Oxfam welcomed the Forum's commitment to eradicate sexual and gender-based violence in the region, support for implementing the global Program of Action on small arms and light weapons and the announcement of a new development compact based on a 'revitalised commitment' to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

For more information or interviews, please contact Laurelle Keough on 0409 960 100

Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinea: Floods DREF Operation No. MDRPG003 Final Report

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Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies
Country: Papua New Guinea

GLIDE n=B0 FL-2008-00243-PNG

The International Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross Red Crescent response to emergencies. The DREF is a vital part of the International Federation's disaster response system and increases the ability of National Societies to respond to disasters.

Summary:

CHF 190,000 (USD 165,000 or EUR 120,360) was allocated from the International Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 15 December 2008 to support Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society in delivering assistance to approximately 15,450 beneficiaries, and to replenish disaster preparedness stocks.

Abnormally high sea levels resulted in severe floods in Papua New Guinea in December 2008. The Papua New Guinea Red Cross (PNGRC), with support from the International Federation and partner national societies, responded to the disaster and assisted communities affected with non-food relief items including tarpaulins, mosquito nets and water containers, among others.

The floods as a result of the sea swells was also used as an opportunity to build the capacity of the national society, its branches and communities to be better prepared for future disasters. As part of lessons learnt and improved disaster preparedness, agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed or are in progress with numerous partners and services which include logistics, customs and secure and sheltered space for relief containers as well as information-sharing, access to provincial radio frequencies and transportation for goods and people.

The timely and effective response from PNGRC at branch and headquarters levels is a significant achievement given that this is the first time all eight provinces in the country were affected simultaneously. The PNGRC successfully mobilized up to 200 volunteers throughout the operation and delivered support to a total of 16,790 people, above the initial target of 15,450 beneficiaries.

An unspent balance of CHF 10,897 was returned to DREF. This Final Report is complete with regards to the implementation of activities.

The major donors and partners of the DREF include the Danish Red Cross, Irish Red Cross/ Irish government, Japanese Red Cross, Monaco Red Cross/ Monaco government, Netherlands Red Cross/ Netherlands government, Norwegian Red Cross/ Norwegian government, Swedish Red Cross/ Swedish government, Italian government, United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), ECHO, OPEC Fund for International Development, and corporate and private donors. The International Federation, on behalf of the Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society, would like to thank all donors for their generous contributions.

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