The Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company (PCRIC) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) hosted a workshop in Tonga last week on disaster risk financing.
The session focused on ensuring effective use of insurance policy payouts following natural disasters, particularly tropical cyclones.
The workshop followed the renewal of Tonga’s insurance policy, which offers financial protection against cyclones.
Government agencies and NGOs attended the event, with over a dozen organizations represented.
In her opening remarks, Ministry of Finance CEO, Kilisitina Tuaimei’api, praised PCRIC’s tailored financial solutions and emphasized the workshop’s importance for informing the government’s budget planning.
Key discussions included logistics for delivering essential goods, ensuring access to clean water, maintaining health services, and providing cash support to affected communities.
PCRIC and WFP experts presented vital information on Tonga’s parametric insurance policies, which trigger payouts based on predefined parameters.
WFP’s Alpha Bah stressed the importance of strategic partnerships in enhancing resilience against climate-related disasters.
