4 June, 2026, Honiara - Pacific meteorological leaders, development partners and regional organisations have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen weather, climate and early warning services in the Pacific.
The commitment follows the Fourth Weather Ready Pacific (WRP) Steering Committee Meeting (SCM4) in the Solomon Islands, as the Weather Ready Pacific (WRP) Programme, implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) enters a critical phase of implementation.
Convened on 2 June in Honiara, the SCM4 brought together more than 50 participants, SPREP Member States, development partners and donors, regional agencies and technical organisations, to review progress and set priorities for the year ahead.
Solomon Islands Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Hon. Wayne Ghemu, urged delegates to keep communities at the centre of every decision.
“Your work may begin with satellites, radars, models, observations and forecasts but it must end with people. It must end with communities who understand the warning, trust the warning, and are able to act before disaster strikes,” he said.
“Let us remember that the success of this programme will be measured by whether a child in Choiseul, a mother in Western Province, a fisherman in Isabel, a farmer in Malaita, a family in Guadalcanal, and communities across our Blue Pacific are safer because of the decisions we make.”
Weather Ready Pacific is a long-term regional investment programme designed to strengthen hydrometeorological services, or Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), to improve weather, climate, water and early warning information access across our region. Through enhanced forecasting capabilities, modernised infrastructure, workforce development and stronger regional collaboration, the programme aims to help Pacific communities become more resilient to increasing weather and climate-related hazards.
The Steering Committee met to review progress achieved by the programme over the past twelve months, including advancements in governance, technical coordination, national implementation activities and partner engagement. Members also considered strategic priorities for the next phase of programme delivery, focusing on strengthening national meteorological and hydrological services and accelerating support to participating countries and territories.
Chair of the WRP Steering Committee and Director of the Fiji Meteorological Service, Mr Misaeli Funaki said the Weather Ready Pacific Programme continues to demonstrate the value of regional collaboration and Pacific leadership in strengthening weather and climate services.
“As we move forward, our focus remains on translating programme investments into practical outcomes for countries and communities. The Steering Committee plays a vital role in ensuring the programme remains responsive to national priorities while delivering on its regional vision,” said Mr Funaki.
SPREP Director of the Climate Science and Information Programme, Mr Salesa Nihmei, stressed that early warning is a shared, system-wide effort. “It is about saving lives. Weather Ready Pacific must help us build systems that last: systems that are owned by countries, supported by the region, and continue to serve communities long after individual projects have ended,” said Mr Nihmei.
He noted that the programme's roughly USD 191 million decadal investment is a starting point, not an endpoint, and emphasised sustainability: Pacific-owned, regionally supported systems that can be maintained over the long term. He framed WRP as a practical example of climate adaptation, aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and relevant to the region's role at COP31.
Looking beyond the SCM4 to the Eighth Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting (PMC8) and Fourth Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology (PMMM4), hosted by Tonga this September, SPREP and Weather Ready Pacific reaffirmed commitment to partnership, coordination and country ownership.
About Weather Ready Pacific
The WRP Programme is a Pacific-led, Pacific-owned decadal Programme of Investment endorsed by Pacific Leaders. Implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), WRP aims to reduce the human and economic costs of severe weather, water, and ocean events across Pacific Island communities by strengthening National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and their partnerships with National Disaster Management Offices. Since 2023, WRP is designated the primary regional vehicle for delivering the United Nations Secretary-General's Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative in the Pacific. The programme is supported by the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
For more information, please contact:
Mr ‘Ofa Fa’anunu, Manager, WRP Programme - ofaf@sprep.org
Ms Angelica Salele-Sefo, Communications & Knowledge Management Officer, WRPP – angelicas@sprep.org