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The first in-depth IDRL study in the Pacific was launched this month in Vanuatu.

On the 16th of June 2015, the Tonga Red Cross Society hosted a handover event in  Nuku’alofa Tonga for its study entitled “International Disaster Response Law (IDRL) in Tonga: A study on legal preparedness for facilitating and regulating international disaster assistance”.

Tonga is an archipelago comprising 176 islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. Not only is the kingdom vulnerable to disasters, but it also faces a number of challenges regarding the delivery of disaster relief due to its isolated setting.

The Kingdom of Tonga was recently identified as the world’s second most vulnerable country to natural disasters (2012 World Risk Report). In addition, Tonga faces serious logistical challenges to the delivery of international disaster assistance due to its geography as an archipelago of isolated small islands.

On June 25th, the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society and IFRC joined the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in organizing a forum on “Domestic Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Response,” in Honiara.

On 17-18 July, more than 30 climate change and legal experts from around the world convened at a workshop in Singapore to discuss issues surrounding climate change adaptation (CCA) in the Asia Pacific region.

On December 7, the Tajik parliament adopted an amendment to the Customs Code exempting humanitarian aid from customs duties and reducing documentation requirements for aid shipments.

At the request of the Tajik Customs Services, the IFRC provided an orientation on international disaster response laws, rules and principles (IDRL) for about 80 customs representatives on 16 May 2012.

In response to a request from the Sri Lankan government, a multi-disciplinary team of experts from around the world was deployed in Sri Lanka from 12 – 25 of November 2011 to undertake a United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Disaster Response Preparedness Mission.

On 13-14 October, the Government of the Philippines hosted the second global “Disaster Response Dialogue” (DRD) Conference in Manila.