Ambae Volcano Response Lessons Learned Report 2017

On behalf of the Vanuatu Government, I wish to thank all participants who attended the Ambae Volcano Evacuation and Repatriation Review Workshop and all the agencies, cluster partners, communities, individuals and the provincial governments (Sanma and Penama) who supported the relief efforts during this event.I also acknowledge United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for their generous assistance in funding this very important workshop and the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) as the lead facilitator.An acknowledgement is also extended to Vanuatu Reach for audio recordings during the workshop that were used to synthesis this report. The Review workshop has resulted in the development of this report ultimately containing recommendations and exploring ways forward to improve our disaster response.The reponse operation has brought collaborative partnerships at all levelswith generous donations of funds, labour and goods.The Government of Vanuatu, with the support of humanitarian partners, continues to assist the communities of Ambae in re-establishing and strengthening basic services across all affected areas on the island.Vanuatu is ranked as the most vulnerable country in the world to multi-hazard natural disasters. The recommendations from this Review Workshop Report will provide a guide for pragmatic future planning and response.Mr Abraham NasakDirectorNational Disaster Management OfficeGovernment of Vanuatu