Josefa Sigavolavola 
[file/photo]
The Government is prepared to reprioritise funding and redirect resources towards drought response, water security and assistance programmes as El Niño conditions continue to intensify.
Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau says Cabinet has already discussed the growing threat posed by the climate event and is monitoring forecasts closely.
Tuisawau says updates from the Fiji Meteorological Service and the Water Authority of Fiji indicate that El Niño-driven drought conditions are expected to peak in December and January.
He warns that challenges facing water sources are likely to worsen in the coming months, requiring a coordinated national response.
The Minister says assistance is already being provided to affected communities, with the Water Authority identifying households under stress in the Western and Northern divisions and supplying water through truck deliveries and water tanks.
Tuisawau says future support measures, including assistance for farmers and vulnerable communities, will be coordinated through a whole-of-government response involving the Ministry of Rural Development, the National Disaster Risk Management Office and other key agencies.
He adds that all government efforts and official announcements relating to the drought response will be coordinated through the central disaster management framework as Fiji prepares for the peak of the El Niño event.
