The governments of Vanuatu and Australia are partnering to repair and upgrade the national government emergency radio network across Vanuatu. The inter-island communication project, which will be delivered over three years under the Vanuatu-Australia Defence Cooperation Program, will significantly increase Vanuatu’s disaster preparedness and response capability. It will also support an enhanced Vanuatu Police Force presence across the archipelago.
Australian Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds said Tropical Cyclone Harold, as well as the challenges of COVID-19, have reinforced the need for communications to support policing and disaster resilience. “Australia is proud to partner with the Vanuatu Police Force to design and deliver an enduring solution that meets Vanuatu’s needs,” Reynolds said. “The project provides an invaluable avenue for enhanced collaboration, training and interoperability between our nations – including during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.”
The project will establish a unified emergency call and dispatch system to connect police outposts to support local communities. Delivery of the communications infrastructure and training will be prioritised in Port Vila, Luganville, Aneityum, Sola, Loh, Ambae and Epi. This will be expanded over the next three years to support 15 police outposts in total, including mobile two-way radio in five locations.
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