From July 23-24, 2008, the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) held a conference of member state “CEOS of Finance/Planning and Disaster Management” in Nadi, Fiji. The conference adopted a “call to action” on disaster management as a final communique.
With respect to international cooperation, the communique notes that there are many international partners available to provide assistance in large disasters, but that coordination remains an issue, both between international actors and with domestic authorities.
The communique further states that: “[t]here remains a challenge for Pacific island countries to consider and respond to the draft guidelines for an International Disaster Response Law (IDRL). This requires continued efforts to develop or strengthen legal and institutional arrangements for disaster risk reduction and disaster management with support from regional partners as required.”
The communique also welcomed the International Federation’s plans to recruit an IDRL delegate for the Pacific Islands to support them in this task.