Cristina Comunian is a UN Volunteer Senior Communications Specialist with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO) in Fiji. Lepani Vunituraga is a UN Volunteer Humanitarian Affairs Officer with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Vanuatu. The two reflect on their assignments in this disaster-prone region.
Vanuatu is a small island developing country with pristine coasts and luscious tropical nature that is also at high risk of natural disasters. The compounding impact of this is a climate security crisis, with quickly deteriorating livelihoods, and lacking opportunities for a sustainable ecosystem where all can thrive. COVID-19 only compounded matters further.