Kiribati: Humanitarian Coordination Structure (As of 31 January 2023)

The Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Act (DRMCCA) of 2019 and the Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Regulations of 2020 are the key documents guiding the country’s disaster management. The Kiribati National Experts Group (KNEG), established under section 10 of the Act and comprising of government ministries, NGOs, faith-based organizations, civil society organizations is responsible for implementing the regulations which mainly includes a coordination mechanism tasked to consolidate all climate change and disaster risk effort and to act as an entry point for climate change and disaster risk management initiatives. Being directly accountable to the Cabinet and the Secretaries, KNEG has overall responsibility of the coordination of all disaster-related activities. In regard to emergency responses, the government has provisions in the mentioned regulations for government entities to be sector responders. This is coordinated by the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) through the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). In times of emergency, a “liaison officer” is appointed to manage engagement with countries providing outside assistance.