In its efforts to ensure better coordination of information during natural disasters the Fijian Government is conducting a three – day training for officers from the National Disaster Management Office around the country.
This is to better equip officers on data management.
The workshop, facilitated by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific (UNESCAP), is aimed at assisting officers on how to install and operate a geo-portal for disaster risk management in Fiji and to show how geospatial data can be used for integrated disaster related information management.
“This training will help develop a group of experts who can enable a smooth operation of a national geoportal for Fiji and strengthen their capacity to use geospatial data for disaster risk reduction,” said UNESCAP Pacific Office deputy head David Smith.
“ESCAPis proud to be partnering Fiji and will support the Government of Fiji in its endeavor to improve the management of disaster impacts and to get assistance to those in need more effectively and efficiently and above all, get that assistance to those in need as quickly as possible.”
A geoportal is a type of web portal used to find and access geographic information (geospatial information) and associated geographic services via the Internet.
The training is on the back of an earlier training held earlier in the year.
“The first training workshop served to raise Fiji policy-makers’ awareness and understanding about the high potential and benefits of space technology and GIS applications for disaster risk reduction and sustainable development,” Mr Smith said.
NDMO director Manasa Tagicakibau said the training would be beneficial to Fiji and Government was committed towards building specialists in disaster risk management.
“This training will be beneficial to Fiji as Government hopes to build capacity in ensuring the best services to the people during disasters,” Mr Tagicakibau said.
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