Fiji is confronting a fundamental hurdle in disaster preparedness: a lack of accurate, timely data on the impacts of storms, floods and other hazards. Climate Champion and Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu warns that without reliable information, planning and response remain limited, and past reports often go unread and unacted upon. He argues the region tends to react to disasters rather than prevent them and calls for a shift in mindset toward proactive resilience.
That shift, he says, hinges on data. “That is where data is so important. From my experience, there are a few key challenges in this area. First, we need a law that allows us to share data, because there are some security implications. When I was Minister for Defence and National Security, I dealt with sensitive information. But with proper legislation to guide information sharing within and beyond government agencies, this issue can be addressed,” Seruiratu said.
He outlined the legal and logistical barriers to data collection and highlighted a shortage of statisticians, stressing that trained experts are essential for collecting, collating, and analysing data effectively. Seruiratu added that strong laws, strategic leadership, and breaking down barriers are crucial for Fiji to learn from past disasters and better prepare for future challenges.
The call comes against a backdrop of Fiji’s broader efforts to turn disaster experience into finance and resilience. In recent years, the country has been building a more robust disaster risk financing framework, including standby concessional facilities with international partners and initiatives to mobilize climate finance quickly. Fiji has also been developing stronger data standards across ministries and accelerating post-disaster assessments to speed funding and rebuilding. These moves are complemented by ongoing investments in early warning capabilities, climate-resilient infrastructure, and on-the-ground resilience projects that aim to protect essential services and vulnerable communities in the event of future hazards.
Context from related developments shows Fiji pursuing a comprehensive approach: coordinating multi-agency efforts to improve early warnings through international programs, securing funds like the Pacific Resilience Fund, and expanding financing tools to shorten the gap between damages and funding. The goal is a data-informed, finance-ready system that can shorten response times, expedite repairs, and reduce secondary losses after shocks.
What this means for Fiji’s path forward
– Enacting a data-sharing law would address essential barriers to information flow across government agencies and with partners abroad, enabling faster, evidence-based decision-making.
– Expanding the pool of statisticians and data scientists will improve the quality of damage assessments, risk analyses, and resilience planning.
– Integrating climate and disaster risk into macroeconomic policy, and standardizing data practices across ministries, can strengthen funding applications and attract international support.
– Coordinating with financing mechanisms like the Pacific Resilience Fund and other resilience instruments can translate better data into quicker, targeted investments in infrastructure and services.
Additional value for readers
– Clear, sector-specific post-disaster assessment templates and pre-approved funding channels can cut weeks from the time between damage and disbursement.
– Investments in climate-resilient infrastructure and reliable electricity for critical facilities help safeguard health, education, and livelihoods during extreme events.
– A data-driven approach to budgeting and investment signals a more resilient economic path for Fiji, aligning disaster risk with macro policies and public finance decisions.
Overall, Fiji’s effort to fuse proactive data governance with resilient financing and targeted infrastructure offers a hopeful blueprint for turning rising hazard exposure into smarter planning, faster recovery, and stronger protection for communities across the archipelago.
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