Pictured: Majuro atoll in the Marshall Islands, one of many vulnerable island communities to be covered under the PDC-OCHA Memorandum of Understanding.

Photograph: UNOCHA

UNOCHA’s Office of the Pacific Islands and Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) have formalized their partnership with a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reinforcing a shared commitment to early warning, risk-informed decision-making, and coordinated disaster preparedness.

The new agreement focuses on regional risk reduction and resilience-building capacity among Pacific Island nations by establishing a framework for expanded regional collaboration and coordination into a structured, long-term partnership designed to support risk-informed decision-making before, during, and after disasters.

“This partnership brings together coordination, data, and decision support at a time when the Pacific needs all three working seamlessly. Through this collaboration, the OCHA Office of the Pacific Islands and the Pacific Disaster Center are strengthening how the region anticipates risk, prepares for impact, and makes decisions that save time – and lives,” said Olga Prorovskya, Head of Office, OCHA Office of the Pacific Islands.

“Together, we are reinforcing the foundations for a more prepared, resilient Pacific.”

Spanning 14 Pacific Island countries and territories within OCHA’s area of responsibility, the partnership is focused on improving the flow of information across the disaster management cycle. Through responsible data sharing and information exchange, the collaboration enhances access to authoritative hazard exposure and impact data—ensuring the countries’ National Disaster Management Organizations (NDMOs) have timely, actionable insights when they matter most. Importantly, the partnership supports coordination on how data and analytics are operationalized to support real-world decisions, not just how information is exchanged.

“The Pacific faces some of the world’s most complex and compounding disaster risks,” said PDC’s Director of Information Technology, Cassie Stelow. “This partnership goes beyond sharing data—it’s about ensuring that risk information is actionable when it’s needed most. Working alongside OCHA and national partners, we are strengthening the tools and processes that support coordinated preparedness and response across the Pacific.”

By leveraging existing technologies such as PDC’s DisasterAWARE platform, the partnership supports national governments’ ability to anticipate hazards, assess potential impacts, and coordinate response actions. Shared systems and aligned workflows will help bridge regional and national efforts, contributing to a more resilient and prepared Pacific.

PDC’s DisasterAWARE Pro platform will provide critical access to early warning, risk insights, and advanced analytics to aid disaster response, coordination, and planning throughout the region.

Photograph: PDC

Fiji, home to the OCHA Office of the Pacific Islands, is highlighted as a key regional partner and hub for disaster coordination. Ongoing collaboration with the Fiji National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) will continue to support regional preparedness initiatives and reinforce Fiji’s role in strengthening collective disaster readiness across the Pacific.

Together, UNOCHA’s Office of the Pacific Islands and PDC are advancing a more connected, risk-informed approach to disaster preparedness—one that enhances regional resilience and supports Pacific Island nations in protecting lives, livelihoods, and communities.

“This partnership expands PDC’s global coverage and builds upon years of successful partnership between our Center and UNOCHA. Together, with the Office of the Pacific Islands, we will be able to better support Pacific Island communities, leveraging our understanding of the unique challenges this region faces,” said PDC’s Executive Director Ray Shirkhodai, pointing to the expertise the Center has gained while situated in the Pacific supporting the complex disaster risk profile of the Hawaiian Islands.