Suva, Fiji – The Pacific Community (SPC) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a Letter of Agreement to develop the Pacific’s first accredited training programme in humanitarian supply chain and logistics, aiming to build a regional cadre of professionals who can move aid faster when disasters strike.
The agreement, signed in February this year, will fund new specialised modules in Humanitarian Supply Chain and Logistics (HSC&L) within the Certificate IV in Disaster Risk Management (Team Leadership).
The modules are designed to give emergency management professionals practical skills in logistics coordination, supply chain management and humanitarian response. The need is acute: Pacific Island countries sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and within the cyclone belt, and face overlapping threats from geological hazards, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones and flooding.
According to the World Risk Index, six Pacific Island nations are among the 20 most disaster-prone countries in the world. In 2019, disasters cost the region USD 1.07 billion per year, with 49% of losses due to cyclones and 20% due to droughts, reports the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
New accredited modules and micro-qualifications will be developed and integrated into the existing disaster risk management qualification. The modules and micro-qualifications will also be made available online through SPC’s digital learning platforms, widening access for learners across Pacific Island countries and territories. This inclusive approach will particularly enable greater participation of women in the Pacific, many of whom balance dual roles at home and in their communities.
SPC, through its Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance (PIEMA) and WFP, will lead the development and accreditation of the modules, train instructors and coordinate outreach to learners across the region. WFP will also contribute its global expertise in humanitarian logistics by supporting the development of competency frameworks and relevant content, identifying funding opportunities for learner cohorts and strengthening partnerships to expand the programme’s reach,
“The signing of the LOA between WFP
and SPC PIEMA
marks an important milestone in strengthening
humanitarian logistics capability across
the Pacific,” said Emma Conlan, Acting
Country Director, WFP Pacific.
“This partnership directly supports
priorities identified by the National
Disaster Management Offices,
ensuring responders have access to
standardised, accredited, and professional
qualifications in humanitarian supply chain and logistics.”
The programme is expected to run from 2026 to 2029, with an estimated total value of USD $328,000, supporting curriculum development, training delivery and the enrolment of multiple learner cohorts across the region.
The programme will also contribute to a Pacific surge roster – a standing pool of logistics specialists who can deploy at short notice when disasters strike. SPC’s Geoscience, Energy and Maritime (GEM) Division Deputy Director, Litea Biukoto, said the partnership reflects SPC’s commitment to strengthening regional resilience through knowledge, training and collaboration.
“The support to implementation or operations needs to be complemented with institutional capability,” said Ms Biukoto.
“When disasters strike, effective logistics and supply chains are essential to delivering life‑saving assistance without delay. Our partnership with WFP to strengthen logistics capability in the Pacific, including formal qualifications alongside core disaster risk management competencies, will enhance emergency preparedness and help ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches the communities who need it most,” she added.
The Certificate IV in Disaster Risk Management was developed jointly by USP’s Pacific Technical and Further Education (Pacific TAFE) and SPC, and it was officially launched in September 2021.
Supported by the New Zealand and Australia governments, PIEMA is at the forefront of emergency and disaster management training across the Pacific. Through its partnerships, PIEMA leads the way in strengthening preparedness and the response to and recovery from emergencies and disasters.
WFP’s Pacific strategy is centred on supporting government-led readiness for climate and disaster shocks across one of the world’s most exposed and logistically isolated regions. The Pacific Multi-Country Office works with national and regional institutions to reinforce capability before crises hit.