Caption: Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka meets with his Japanese counterpart, Hon. Tani Koici at the margins of the Asia Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) currently underway in Sendai, Japan.
Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka held a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Hon. Tani Koichi in Sendai, Japan yesterday.
The meeting was held on the margins of the Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (ACDR).
In his remarks during the meeting, Hon. Ditoka expressed his gratitude to the Government of Japan for the invitation to attend the ADRC. He also expressed his appreciation for the continuous support of the Japanese Government, especially through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Hon. Tani acknowledged Hon. Ditoka for his attendance at this year’s conference, and highlighted that the Japanese government intends to strengthen cooperation with Pacific Island countries as they were important partners of Japan.
The two leaders discussed the operations of the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre (ADRC), and how the Centre already had been assisting Pacific Island countries with the sharing of disaster information through the use of satellites.
During the meeting, Hon. Tani reiterated that the Government of Japan hoped that Fiji’s participation in this year’s conference would provide a good opportunity to deepen its relationship with the Fiji National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), and would also enable them to consider joining the ADRC in the future.
Hon. Ditoka also acknowledged the invitation extended by his Japanese counterpart, stating that Fiji looked forward to joining the ADRC.
The two leaders also discussed other potential areas of collaboration, particularly in the establishment of a regional coordination centre in the Pacific, similar to the AHA Centre – the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management in the Southeast Asian region.
Hon. Ditoka used the opportunity of meeting his Japanese counterpart to brief him on the recent deployment of two humanitarian response teams by the Government of Fiji to support recovery efforts in New Zealand and Vanuatu in the aftermath of TC Gabrielle and TC Judy.
He also highlighted the need for capacity building programmes for Government personnel to strengthen internal capacity, and enable them to acquire specialised skills.
Minister Ditoka also extended an invitation to his Japanese counterpart for the participation of the Government of Japan in a planned national simulation exercise in Fiji in October this year.
Hon. Tani noted the discussions made between the two leaders, and stated he would speak with the relevant agencies to address some of the issues discussed during the brief meeting.
Caption: Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka and his Japanese counterpart Hon. Tani Koci (middle) with members of the Governments of Fiji and Japan delegations attending the Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction currently underway in Sendai, Japan.
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The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management is responsible for implementing and coordinating development strategies that bring Fijians living in rural and maritime regions the same level of access to essential services and economic opportunities as anywhere else in the country. We coordinate and implement the Fiji Government’s rural and maritime development initiatives with a mission to empower Fiji’s rural sector. We also spearhead disaster risk reduction initiatives at national and sub-national level including disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. We have offices for each of Fiji’s 14 provinces including Rotuma, leading the Fiji Government’s rural development and disaster risk management operations.
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