The Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing Program (PHWP) is a Pacific-led, multi-donor program that will support 14 Pacific countries and Timor-Leste to further develop disaster preparedness and resilience by building their national humanitarian warehousing capability.
The Pacific Community (SPC) is the lead implementing partner for PHWP. SPC is the principal scientific and technical organisation supporting development in the Pacific and play a key role in disaster management and emergency preparedness in the region. SPC also manage the Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP) and the Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance (PIEMA) projects which support disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction efforts across the Pacific. The primary PHWP webpage is operated by SPC on their Geoscience, Energy and Maritime Division project pages.
An Infrastructure Specialists Unit (ISU) has been contracted to support delivery of the infrastructure components of the program. The ISU will work with SPC as a member of the PHWP Program Management Office, in Suva. The Program Management Office will work with each participating country to enhance their humanitarian warehousing either through building, refurbishing or leasing warehouse space, depending on local context. Warehouses will be located for optimal accessibility and distribution. PHWP will also pre-position appropriate, approved Humanitarian Emergency Relief Supplies (HERS) for distribution immediately before, or in the 48 hours after a disaster, increasing response options for national governments and supporting greater Pacific resilience to disasters.
PHWP will be informed by Pacific Island countries’ and Timor-Leste priorities, supported by Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) and France from 2023 – 2031. PHWP was announced on 22 September 2023 at the PBP Pacific Foreign Ministers Meeting.
Further information on the design and implementation of PHWP can be found in the Investment Design Document, PHWP Factsheet and Program Map.
Alignment with Pacific Priorities
As committed in Australia’s International Development Policy (2023), Australia will continue to prioritise response to international humanitarian crises, particularly in the Pacific and Timor-Leste.
In doing so, PHWP will support implementation of the Boe Declaration on Regional Security, Boe Declaration Action Plan 2019 and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent by supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness, including pre-positioned supplies.
The Pacific Disaster Risk Reduction Declaration Commitment to Action (Nadi Declaration) also specifically referenced the need for greater support for pre-positioned supplies to realise its aim of a safer and more resilient region in the face of disaster risk and climate change.
PHWP also supports implementation of The Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, on integrating climate change and disaster risk management and recognising cultural and traditional resilience and the knowledge of communities, who should be engaged as key actors.
PHWP will work closely with participating countries, humanitarian partners and civil society organisations, and within existing regional disaster and humanitarian response architecture to support the region to achieve the goals outlined in these regional frameworks.