FIJI is the third country in the world chosen to host a project that will study the strengths and weaknesses of forecasting and warnings.
The Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project, which began with a workshop in Nadi, will study how current weather forecasting and natural disaster warnings are issued in a bid to find areas that could be improved and strengthen gaps in the system of disseminating advice and warnings to vulnerable communities.
Ministry of Transport deputy secretary Malakai Tadulala said once the project was firmly established, Fiji would become a role model for neighbouring Pacific Island countries.
"The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) — because of our strategic location — has nominated Fiji to be the third country in the world to host this project," Mr Tadulala said.
"The first was Bangladesh in the Indian Ocean and then the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.
"The first phase of the project is currently underway with the hosting of this workshop."
He said the success of the program relied heavily on the outcomes of the workshop in progress in Nadi and that it was imperative that agreement be reached by all involved. The workshop at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi ends tomorrow.