33 Fijian humanitarian response personnel will be deployed to support the New Zealand Government’s response to Severe Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle.
The team made up of Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), the National Fire Authority (NFA), and the Fiji National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) personnel is expected to leave by the end of the week.
The Government formally offered its support to the NZ Government on Sunday following a telephone communication between the Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Sakiasi Ditoka and his NZ counterpart Kieran McAnulty.
The offer was duly accepted by the New Zealand Government.
“The New Zealand Government is a close ally of Fiji and is an important part of our Pacific family. On behalf of the Government of Fiji, we send our condolences to the families of the victims of TC Gabrielle and we send our good wishes to the people of New Zealand as they recover from the aftermath of this intense tropical cyclone,” Ditoka stated.
“New Zealand has always been there for Fiji in our hour of need and this deployment is just our way of saying that we are there for New Zealand as well in this, their time of need, in the spirit of our Duavata Partnership.”
Details of the deployment are still being finalised between the responsible agencies.
“In terms of the deployment, the NDMO team is to consist of emergency management specialists who are to provide surge support to the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) in the NZ National Emergency Operations Centre, while the RFMF will conduct a joint Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) and support operations with the NZ Defence Force in the affected areas to support the NZ Government’s response.
The NFA personnel will be going to also offer surge support to their counterparts at the Fire Emergency NZ.
