PNG announces Relief Support for Vanuatu and Tuvalu Following Cyclone Pam

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Hon. Peter O’Neill CMG MP, has announced the provision of disaster relief and recovery funding for Pacific Islands that have been affected by Tropical Cyclone Pam.
In the lead-up to announcing the Government action, the Prime Minister was briefed by disaster management and Foreign Affairs officials following an initial assessment of requirements in affected countries, and the funding allocated.
“The scale of the devastation in the South Pacific is extreme and urgent help is needed to erect shelter, to restore essential services such as power and sanitation, and to reestablish supply lines to provide food,” Prime Minister Hon. Peter O’Neill said.
“In Vanuatu many lives have been lost and communities devastated by Cyclone Pam as it swept through the region and we must help those who are in dire need. “The Government of Papua New Guinea is committed to helping people in our region to recover from this devastation.
“5 million Kina in immediate support will be provided to the Government of Vanuatu with a further 1 million Kina provided to Tuvalu.
“Funding will be provided to Vanuatu and to Tuvalu governments because as they know what they need at a local level and can arrange to have this delivered. “A Paua New Guinea Assessment Team will soon depart to work with people in affected areas to assess further requirements that can be provided.
“The Assessment Team will be comprised of officials from Departments of Foreign Affairs and Health, the PNG Defence Force, Police and the National Disaster Management Office. “Several other Pacific Island nations have also been affected by Cyclone Pam, including Kiribati, and Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea is reaching out to these Governments to better understand their relief and recovery needs.”
The Prime Minister said that the recent extreme weather has been alarming for people across the Pacific and highlighted the vulnerabilities of developing nation in the Pacific.
“We will work with Vanuatu, Tuvalu and other nations around the Pacific in restore cyclone-damaged areas, and to strengthen our defences as we continue to be impacted by extreme weather.”