Papua New Guinea is hosting a regional meeting this week to discuss ways small island developing states can improve their disaster management.
Representatives from around the Pacific have gathered in Madang to further talks on a draft Pacific Island Framework for Action 2005 to 2015.
Matters for discussion include early warning systems and being adequately prepared to respond to a natural disaster.
The three-day conference, which officially opened last night, is being co-hosted by the National Disaster Committee and the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, or SOPAC.
There are currently 20 member countries of SOPAC, including New Zealand, Australia, the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji and Guam.
