The Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company (PCRIC) has engaged Tonga’s former Finance Minister Tiofilusi Tiueti to lead the development of a national contingency plan aimed at strengthening Tonga’s financial preparedness for natural disasters.
Mr Tiueti brings a distinguished career in public administration, financial governance and public sector reform.
He previously served as chief executive officer of the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions and chief executive of Tonga’s Ministry of Finance and National Planning where he led the implementation of the country’s public financial management reform roadmap.
PCRIC chief executive officer Aholotu Palu said they had worked closely with Mr Tiueti during his time as Finance Minister.
“His appointment is a natural extension of PCRIC’s partnership with Tonga,” Mr Palu said in a statement.
“We’re confident his insights and leadership will be instrumental in delivering a contingency plan that meets both national priorities and global funding requirements.”
The initiative that Mr Tiueti will lead is financed by the Global Shield Solutions Platform (GSSP), and managed by the Frankfurt School whose support is enabling the enhancement of contingency planning for PCRIC’s member countries.
With this support, PCRIC is working to ensure that insurance payouts are timely, targeted, and effective in reaching vulnerable populations when disasters strike.
Head of GSSP Dr Annette Detken said Mr Tiueti’s appointment was an excellent addition to the partnership between PCRIC and GSSP.
“By investing in contingency plan development, PCRIC is demonstrating a strong leadership in disaster preparedness and a clear commitment to ensuring that support reaches those who need it most, when they need it most,” Dr Detken said in the statement.
According to PCRIC, a contingency plan is a structured, country-specific document that outlines how, when, and where pre-arranged financial resources will be accessed and deployed in the event of a natural disaster; and it acts as a vital bridge between financial preparedness and real-time emergency response.
The contingency planning process will follow a broad consultative approach, engaging key stakeholders across Tonga to validate funding assumptions, refine response timelines, and define operational triggers for disaster-related disbursements.
Similar planning work will also be rolled out over the coming months in Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, and Vanuatu as part of PCRIC’s wider regional support efforts.
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated June 14, 2025
