On 6 April 2020, Vanuatu was hit by a category 5 Tropical Cyclone Harold with sustained winds of more than 200 km/h, while the region was already dealing with COVID-19. The Vanuatu Business Resilience Council (VBRC) responded to this disaster while under pandemic lock-down conditions.
The VBRC, established in October 2017, is a standing committee of the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and a member of both the Connecting Business initiative (CBi) and the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organizations (PIPSO) Pacific Business Resilience Network. One of its primary roles is to coordinate the activities and strengthen the engagement of the private sector, collaborating with the Government for better disaster preparedness, response, and recovery activities, including climate change adaptation and mitigation within Vanuatu.
This document presents an overview of the CBi Member Network, including challenges and lessons learned.