Tonga Advances Tsunami Preparedness Through UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Workshops

The mission included a dedicated technical training workshop for Tonga’s tsunami warning, geological service and emergency management agencies on 14 July, followed by a two-day national stakeholder workshop on 15–16 July focused on strengthening community resilience and progressing the implementation of the Tsunami Ready programme in Tonga. 

The UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme is a global community-based initiative that supports at-risk communities in strengthening tsunami preparedness, response capacity, and public awareness. The programme contributes directly to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and its ambition to make 100% of communities at risk from tsunamis prepared and resilient by 2030. Communities achieve recognition by meeting twelve indicators covering assessment, preparedness, and response

During the stakeholder workshop, participants from government agencies, emergency management organizations, technical institutions, and local stakeholders reviewed international best practices, explored lessons learned from across the Pacific, and discussed Tonga’s priorities, challenges, and opportunities for strengthening tsunami readiness nationwide.