2011 Tokelau and Tuvalu Drought Response

LTCOL Terry McDonald Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers New Zealand Defence Force Presentation Scope

• Background and challenges • Deployment overview - OP Pacific Drought 2011 • Key focus areas: • “Humanitarian Assistance as a system of systems” • “Unpacking the problem” • “Information in a vacuum” • Conclusion Background and Challenges

• Slow developing situation • Increasing development increases water use • Impact of La Nina on preceding six months rainfall • Reliance on rainwater capture and RO • Geographic Isolation – airfields / ports • Mission duration and footprint • NZDF MFRO capability Deployment overview – OP Pacific Drought 2011 Key Events Timeline: 28 Sep 11 – Tuvalu declares a state of emergency Sep 11 – Tokelau declares a state of emergency 30 Sep 11 – NZDF activates condition white OP Pacific Drought 04 Oct 11 – NZDF activates condition red OP Pacific Drought 05 Oct 11 – NZDF team TOKELAU deploys to AMERICAN SAMOA 06 Oct 11 – NZDF team TOKELAU links up with USCG WALNUT 07 Oct 11 – NZDF team TUVALU deploys to SAMOA 07 Oct 11 – Relief team TOKELAU arrives TOKELAU 08 Oct 11 – Relief team TUVALU arrives TUVALU 10 Oct 11 – Relief team TOKELAU RTNZ via AMERICAN SAMOA 09 Nov 11 – Relief team TUVLAU RTNZ via SAMOA

Key Outcomes: TOKELAU – 123,000L of water produced and delivered to three atolls Distribution amount based on population

TUVALU - 798,480L of water produced by NZDF MFRO Distribution primarily on Funafuti with Red Cross RO supporting NUKULAELAE

References: http://www.tokelau.org.nz/site/tokelau/files/final%20final%20final%20tevakai%20NC.pdf http://reliefweb.int/report/tuvalu/new-zealand-red-cross-supports-those-affected-tuvalu-drought TOKELAU

Source: http://www.tokelau.org.nz/Tokelau+Government/Te+Vakai.html accessed 11 May 16 TUVALU Focus Area: Disaster Relief as a system of systems • Military ‘means’ to achieve Government ‘ends’ • NZ response not military led • Military / Military alignment, Department / Department alignment, International partner alignment, Host nation alignment • Military and NGO objectives / constraints • Water delivery treated the symptoms but longer term issues (understanding the 2nd and 3rd order effects): • Public Health • Food Security • Different solutions for different actors • Impact of other enablers: • Fuels • Vehicles • infrastructure Focus Area: Unpacking the problem • Emphasis on developing resiliency through: • water tank programs, • rain water capture, • reverse osmosis, and • electrical reticulation. • Relief team footprint – not being part of the problem • Force protection versus public support • Geographic Isolation – Tokelau vs Airfields • More than just water – all facets of public services • Measures of effectiveness and performance Focus Area: Information in a vacuum

• Ongoing communication the key – demonstrate through example • Its all about relationships and trust – not just the people on the ground • Information requirements are problematic to service • Geo-data and records problematic • International standards differ • No matter where you are – there is public interest Conclusion Questions