NEW ZEALAND has given $150,000 NZD this week towards cyclone relief and diverted the cash to the Prime Minister’s National Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Fund.
A statement from the Fijian government announced the New Zealand Government donated the approximately FJD $210k towards Government’s response as part of a total package worth $2million.
The funds are earmarked for the purchase of relief supplies for areas affected by Tropical Cyclone Harold, which affected Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga in April 2020
Previous donations under the $2m package include NZD $100,000 on April 9, which was used by for the purchase of food rations under phase 1 of the Government’s relief response. On April 18, a NZ Military Hercules aircraft supplied non-food items worth NZD $192,636.47 and on April 22 another round of non food items worth $264,298 was given to the Fijian government.
While handing over the NZD $150K this week, the New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, Jonathan Curr said his government would respond to Fiji’s challenges “in the best way possible”.
“As close Pacific neighbours and friends, New Zealand continues to support Fiji’s work with affected communities through humanitarian and disaster management efforts. There is still much to be done, and it’s important that we work together with responding agencies in the best way possible to help Fijians during these trying times,” said Mr Curr.
National Disaster Management Office Director, Vasiti Soko received the grant and acknowledged the NZ Government’s generosity and continuous support.
“Fiji, like other small island developing states, is trying to confront this threat in the most challenging of circumstances but this has stretched our scarce resources to the limit, and therefore, we are grateful for the support of New Zealand and like-minded development partners,” Ms Soko said.
“We have completed the second phase of immediate response having reached over 107,000 Fijians with relief supplies in the declared disaster areas.”
The $2m humanitarian package includes the following:
- Emergency High Commission Fund (First Approval) NZD150k
– FRIEND
– DIVA
– Empower Pacific
– Conservation International
– NDMO food rations - Release of pre-positioned supplies in Suva and Lautoka with Rotary NZ/Fiji NZD252k
- Relief supply deployments 400k
– Relief supply deployment 1
– 325 bundles of tarps (5 tarps per bale)
– 151 shelter tool kits
– 5 generators
– 552 hygiene kits
– Relief supply deployment 2
– 166 bales of tarps (5 tarps per bale)
– 299 shelter tool kits
– 94 cartons of water containers (30 containers per carton)
– 10 generators
– 100 mother and baby kits
– 564 hygiene kits - Emergency High Commission Fund (Second Approval) NZD150k
– Empower Pacific
– International Needs/Solo Mums
– FLMMA
– Loving Islands
– PCDF
– FRIEND - NZ Disaster Response Partnership NGO Funding Round NZD450k
– Habitat for Humanity
– UNICEF
– Save the Children - Food security NZD300k
– Projects in design. - PM Relief and Rehabilitation Trust Fund NZD150k
- IFRC Disaster Relief Emergency Fund NZD150k
