Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Prime Minister (PM) Jeremiah Manele participated as one of the two plenary discussants on the effectiveness of government strategies for preparedness and response to environmental and economic crises at the World Governments Summit panel discussion hosted by the United Arab Emirates government in Dubai.
Co-hosting the panel discussion alongside his counterpart, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica and Prime Minister Hon. Jeremiah Manele highlighted the predisposed vulnerability of the Solomon Islands to nature-induced disasters such as tropical cyclones, flash floods, and tsunamis are due to its geographic location in the southwest Pacific.
He emphasized the compounded challenges faced by Solomon Islands and other small island developing states (SIDS), including limited economic capacity and the significant impact of global economic shocks, which heighten their vulnerability to crises, both natural and human-induced disasters, like climate change.
Addressing the critical issue of crisis preparedness, Prime Minister Manele affirmed that investing in preparedness is crucial for reducing the costs of disaster response and recovery.
However, he stressed that the effectiveness of preparedness efforts is linked to our development needs and challenges. Consequently the focus on national development efforts, including improvements in infrastructure, transport, social services, and economic opportunities, are essential in fostering resilience and readiness for crises.
He pointed to the importance of community-based disaster risk management programs that are led jointly by the government, non-governmental organizations, and international partners.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for not only effective preparedness and response strategies but also comprehensive recovery efforts, which often require external financial assistance and partnerships.
He noted that while international support tends to be readily available for disaster response, there is often a lack of focus on preparedness and especially recovery- both of which are crucial for long-term resilience.
Prime Minister Manele called for stronger international collaboration and adequate implementation mechanisms, including finance and technology, to support the efforts of small island developing states.
He underscored that national strategies alone are insufficient to address the complex challenges posed by environmental and economic crises and that global partnerships are essential to ensuring the future resilience and development of vulnerable nations like the Pacific Islands.
PM Manele clearly articulated, that in an era where climate change and urbanization intersect, the resilience of Small Island states is crucial. Small Island States must be equipped to not only withstand but also swiftly recover from various crises, including nature-induced disasters and economic upheavals.
He concluded, the sustainability and livability of our future urban environments hinge on our ability to proactively address these challenges through innovative urban planning and robust governance.
