Public sector management / Public expenditure and fiscal management

Resilience to combat the impacts of climate change and natural disasters strengthened

Resilient infrastructure and ICT built

Strategic investments to improve disaster resilience sustained

Disaster risk financing expanded

Disaster preparedness strengthened

2018 Update: The agreed actions are specified in the program policy matrix supporting and monitoring progress towards achieving these goals. Yearly post-program monitoring will ensure continued progress towards attaining overall program goals.Policy Reform Progress is as follows:Output 1 - 1.1 : National development plan incorporating disaster resilience that is gender inclusive approved by cabinet. Progress : Completed. In 2016, the cabinet approved the National Sustainable Development Plan, 2016 2020, which includes two specific objectives: to strengthen resilience to combat the impacts of climate change and natural disasters, and to build resilient infrastructure. The second joint national action plan for DRM and climate change adaptation (JNAP II) was submitted to the National Disaster Risk Management Council and will be formally launched in December 2017.Output 1 - 1.2 : Public consultations on the second JNAP for disaster disk management and climate change adaptation completed.Progress: Public consultations on JNAP II, which will clarify and formalize the institutional arrangements for DRM, have been completed.Output 1 - 1.3 :Two meetings of the National Disaster Risk Management Council held in 2016.Progress: The government is ensuring that regular meetings of the National Disaster Risk Management Council are held and to increase to quarterly. Two meetings were held in 2017 and a final meeting will be held in December 2017. Meeting minutes are being kept. Output 1 - 1.4 : 10 Pa Enua (outer islands) have prepared and are currently updating their Island DRM plans, and plans are under preparation for 10 punas (districts) on Rarotonga.Progress: Pa Enua Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Plans have been prepared for the 10 outer islands. Of the 10 Punas on Rarotonga: three Punas (Tupapa Maraerenga, Takuvaine, and Akaoa have their DRM plans in place; Four Punas (Nikao, Avatiu, Ngatangiia, and Matavera) have draft DRM plans; and three Punas (Titikaveka, Murienua, and Ruaau) have yet to come up with a draft. EMCI to continue working with the Punas on completing their DRM plans.Output 1 - 1.5 : Learning modules on disaster risk management prepared for integration into the school curriculum and phased dissemination to schools throughout the country.Progress: The government has taken steps to improve public awareness of disaster risks through the preparation of DRM learning modules for schools, which were first distributed in 2014 and will be further disseminated in 2017. A Teachers Resource Kit (TRK) with learning modules on DRM is available to teachers and is integrated into the school curriculum. EMCI is working with the Ministry of Education to get these TRK out to all schools. EMCI has also engaged Cook Islands Red Cross to assist with the program during their travels to the Pa Enua and this is being conducted by Mata Hetland, a former school principal working for the Red Cross. Output 1 - 1.6 : Commencing development of training modules targeting key areas of DRM accountabilities relevant to each government agency, in support of Emergency Management Cook Island's mandate under the DRM Act 2007.Progress: Government is committed to training modules, targeting key areas of DRM accountabilities relevant to each government agency, that will be disseminated in 2017. An Inter-Agency Contingency Planning Workshop for Humanitarian Assistance in the Cook Islands was held in 2017 with assistance from UNOCHA to help define some of the roles and responsibilities of the various agencies during a national event. EMCI with the assistance of UNDP carried out a Post Disaster Needs Assessment training in 2017 with the aim of taking in a more holistic approach to damage assessment to include economic loss, loss of jobs and earnings as opposed to focusing only on infrastructure damage only. EMCI to ensure training continues in 2018.Output 2 - 2.1 : Availability and price of services and goods for post-disaster clean-up and restoration of essential services in the event of a disaster confirmed by registered contractors.Progress: The government has obtained information from registered contractors on the availability and price of services and goods for post-disaster cleanups, such as debris removal, and the restoration of essential services, including power and water. This is done every year just before cyclone season starts in November. An EOI was advertised and 4 contractors have submitted their pricing (mostly roading and equipment for the cleanup).Output 2 - 2.2 : Commenced development of a damage and loss database (including sex-disaggregated information) and a tracking systems for post-disaster expenditures.Progress: MFEM FinSec to work with identified development partners to develop damage and loss tracking system. FinSec confirms this will be done as part of PCRAFI insurance under which his staff are being trained to complete. EMCI has also developed a Geo Portal for the very purpose of trying to create baseline data of all the islands of the Pa Enua including Rarotonga (http//www.emci.gov.ck/2.2). Output 2 - 2.3 : Priority infrastructure to reduce climate and disaster risks identified in national infrastructure development plan.Progress: Cook Islands National Infrastructure Investment Plan (NIIP) 2015-2025 was published under the auspices of the Cook Islands Government, with the support of the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF). The National Infrastructure Investment Plan 2015 was endorsed and adopted by the Cook Islands Cabinet on April 14, 2015, as the guide to infrastructure investment over the next ten years and as such is a _living document_. Cabinet memorandum reference number: CM (15) 0140. FinSec and PRIF are discussing carrying out an update of the NIIP in 2018. PRIF's Lorena Estigarribia [email protected] will confirm.Output 2 - 2.4 : Analysis of disaster and climate risks required for all proposed public investment projects over N$150,000.Progress: This has been completed as part of the Te Tarai Vaka Activity System review, under which all development projects are entered and monitored by MFEM's Development Coordination Division.Output 2 - 2.5 : Scoping mission conducted, stakeholders consulted andterms of reference prepared to draft revised building codes that reflect improved disasterresilience.Progress: BECA consultancy (financed under Secretariat of the Pacific Community) is updating the 1990 building code and manual. An independent reviewer is undertaking due diligence. The building code and manual will be finalized by end December 2017. The New Zealand drafting office is helping prepare the necessary legislation and plan to table in Cabinet in early 2018. The new building code will apply to new private and public buildings only (not retrospective) and includes standards on disability access for public buildings.Output 3 - 3.1 : Additional financial resources committed to the disaster emergency trust fund through the FY2017 budgetProgress: NZ$600,000 was invested in the emergency trust fund in FY2017 and current balance is NZ$1.6 million.Output 3 - 3.2 : Continued commitment to PCRAFI through allocation for annual insurance premium in the FY2017 budget.Progress: The government is committed to paying the annual insurance premiums under the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative coverage.

Sep 2018 Update: Cook Islands has not been affected by a disaster since the program was approved. Financing remains available and contingent on a disaster affecting the country.