Disasters
Recurrent earthquakes, floods, typhoons, and volcanoes present significant challenges to vulnerable populations in the East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) region. Some countries also face civil unrest and associated humanitarian impacts, as well as limited government capacity to respond to disasters. Between FY 2006 and FY 2015, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) provided humanitarian assistance in response to a diverse range of natural and complex emergencies in the region.
CONTEXT
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) are two nations collectively made up of 1,800 islands spanning 2,000 miles across the northwestern Pacific Ocean. More than 155,000 people living in these islands are vulnerable to disasters caused by climate change, including rising sea levels, and shifting rainfall and storm patterns.
Donations keep citizens healthy
Jan. 2015—Julian Bejang, 40, knows all about living through droughts.
She is from Lib Island in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which receives on average 20 inches of rain annually. A mother of two young children, she learned to wait out lean times when water was hard to come by and how to cope until the water returned. But one year after the last drought began, the water didn’t return.
Recurrent floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, and seasonal typhoons present significant challenges to vulnerable populations in the East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) region. Some countries also face civil unrest and associated humanitarian impacts, as well as limited government capacity to respond to disasters. Between FY 2005 and FY 2014, USAID’s Office of U.S.
CONTEXT
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) held a workshop for select civil society, academic and private sector organizations on Wednesday, July 16 to announce the five-year, USD $24-million Pacific-American Climate Fund (PACAM) at the Tanoa Tusitala Conference Center.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is launching the five-year Pacific-American Climate Fund (PACAM) in Suva on March 26 to help communities in Pacific Island countries adapt to effects of climate change.
CONTEXT
Recurrent floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, and seasonal typhoons present significant challenges to vulnerable populations in the East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) region. Some countries also face civil unrest and associated humanitarian impacts, as well as limited government capacity to respond to disasters. Between FY 2004 and FY 2013, USAID’s Office of U.S.
HIGHLIGHTS
Affected populations continue to recover from drought effects as normal seasonal rainfall remains ongoing
USAID partner the International Organization for Migration (IOM) continues to deliver food commodities provided by the U.S. Government (USG) to drought-affected atolls and islands
SECTOR OVERVIEW
HIGHLIGHTS
Normal seasonal rains begin in drought-affected areas of northern RMI, alleviating drought conditions
U.S. Government (USG) provides nearly $1.8 million in additional assistance for drought relief activities in RMI
Two shipments of USG-provided food commodities for distribution to drought-affected communities arrive in RMI in July
HIGHLIGHTS
- The effects of severe drought conditions continue to affect nearly 6,400 people in RMI
- On June 14, U.S. President Barack Obama declared a disaster for RMI, authorizing additional U.S. Government (USG) funding for relief and reconstruction activities
- To date, the USG has provided nearly $1.3 million to respond to drought-related humanitarian needs in RMI
USAID sponsored a week-long carpentry workshop at the College of Marshall Islands’ (CMI) Arrak campus in Majuro, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) from March 4 to 8.
The workshop aimed to demonstrate techniques and materials that may be used to produce a durable, typhoon-resistant house that would provide protection from the effects of climate change.
