A senior delegation from Australia’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recently visited Papua New Guinea (15–20 March) to meet with key partners and stakeholders; and to ensure that both nations are better prepared, more resilient, and faster to respond when natural disasters strike.
Led by Mr. David Long, Assistant Coordinator-General for National Crisis Operations, the delegation conducted high-level consultations in Port Moresby and Rabaul. The visit marked a critical step in delivering Australia’s $25 million Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) package, designed to help modernise PNG’s disaster management infrastructure.
The $25 million HADR package focuses on three pillars of national safety:
Infrastructure: Construction of new regional humanitarian warehouses to ensure relief supplies reach disaster zones faster.
Coordination: Scoping a state-of-the-art Emergency Command and Control Centre in Port Moresby to centralise risk monitoring and response.
Partnership: Launching a new ‘twinning’ program between Australia’s NEMA and PNG’s National Disaster Centre (NDC) to foster long-term professional exchange.
During the week-long mission, the delegation also met with the NEMA Review Committee and key partners and agencies, including the PNG Fire Service, the National Maritime Safety Authority, and the PNG Defence Force.
“NEMA is honoured to be working with our PNG partners to enhance Emergency Management capabilities and coordination. We value the opportunity to meet our counterparts in person to progress the arrangements,” Assistant Coordinator-General Long said.
The visit builds on ongoing technical cooperation, including the partnership between Geoscience Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology to strengthen PNG’s early warning systems for volcanic and weather threats.
Australia remains committed to supporting PNG’s priorities in disaster management, ensuring that national and provincial systems are robust, responsive, and ready for the future.
ENDS
(Left to right) Mr Michael Evers (Planning Officer, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ms Agata Imielska (Director Crisis Planning, NEMA), Mr Donald Tokunai, East New Britain Provincial Disaster Coordinator), Mr David Long (National Crisis Operations, Assistant Coordinator-General, NEMA), Mr Thomas Ninkama (Program Manager Humanitarian, Australian High Commission), Ms Suzanne Wago (Assistant Director Crisis Planning, NEMA) and Mr Ima Itikara (Assistant Director, Rabaul Volcanological Observatory).
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100