Kiribati builds resilience in water and sanitation sector through integration

By Sini Latu, Tonga Broadcasting Commission: http://www.tonga-broadcasting.net

10 July 2013, Nadi, Fiji - The Water and Sanitation Sector in Kiribati is supporting integration as a way of dealing with the impacts of climate change and disaster risk management.

Reenate Willie from the Kiribati Ministry of Public Works, says the Water Sector's role is to provide technical advice, monitoring and assessment, planning for resilience, supporting resilient communities and others.

Speaking at the Joint Meeting on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management in Nadi, Willie said these roles also apply to climate change adaptation programmes.

“The water sector feels that there needs to be a combined approach on how to handle the critically linked areas of disaster risk, climate change, water, sanitation, hygiene and human health which is far more effective than individual sector approaches.”

He says the integrated approach also takes into account the fragility and sustainability of Kiribati water resources and health amongst other things.

Willie says the Water and Sanitation sector in Kiribati is limited in their capacity to implement some of the activities that have already been laid out in their policies and plans because they do not have the key people to implement them.

Kiribati also highlighted the need for flexibility in terms of funding support on climate change and disaster risk reduction activities.

With most of these activities carried out by communities, Willie says the water and sanitation sector is building the capacity of the community to become self reliant and sustainable.