Vanuatu: National disaster management office strategic plan 2016 - 2020

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) Strategic Plan (2016–2020) outlines Vanuatu’s approach to strengthening disaster risk management in one of the world’s most hazard-exposed countries. The plan positions the NDMO as a central coordination body, responsible for aligning government, humanitarian, and community actors to improve preparedness, response, and resilience. It emphasizes a shift from reactive responses to forward-looking planning, grounded in risk awareness, early warning systems, and simulation-based preparedness.
The strategy is structured around four core priorities: strengthening governance and policy frameworks, improving coordination across all levels, enhancing operational readiness, and mainstreaming disaster risk and climate change into national development. It places strong emphasis on decentralization to provincial and community levels, integration of traditional knowledge, and inclusive approaches that account for vulnerable groups. Despite resource constraints, the plan highlights opportunities to build capacity, improve data and information systems, and leverage partnerships to create a more resilient and better-coordinated disaster management system.