The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has been very supportive of the Government’s efforts to combat COVID-19 in the country.
UNDP’s involvement goes back since 2 years ago when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Since then, UNDP has been heavily involved, first in supporting the Solomon Islands Government’s preparedness and response efforts to minimize the importation and spread of the virus until now that the country is going through the very difficult operation to cut the chain of community transmission that is ravaging the country at the moment.
In the current operation UNDP has directly supported the Government through technical advice to the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) and the provision of much needed resources like computers and internet access. These are very important resources the NEOC needed to effectively plan and coordinate the multi stakeholder operation.
Another important area UNDP provided invaluable support in the current operation is the provision of funds to secure Mendana Hotel Conference Facility as the NEOC for all sector agencies to work in a COVID-19 safe environment under N-DOC arrangement. The lack of a proper working space at NDMO Office in Ranadi is a challenge for NEOC, and UNDP’s quick response to this need enabled the operation to continue with less disruption. Funding for this is provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and (DFAT) administered by UNDP.
The Government through the National Emergency Operations Centre acknowledges with appreciation DFAT and UNDP for supporting the NEOC to carry out its mandated tasks through the National Disaster Council (NDC) and National Disaster Operations Committee (N-DOC) arrangement.
“We really needed this support and we cannot thank DFAT and UNDP enough for their prompt and timely assistance. We assure you that the resources and facility you provided will be put to full and appropriate use in the current operation” said Mr George Baragamu who is Chief of Operations at the NEOC.
Apart from NEOC, UNDP has also provided both equipment and technical support to other sectors under the NDC/ N-DOC arrangement.
-NDMO Press