New Zealand High Commissioner HE Peter Kemp and Port Vila Lord Mayor Hon. Samuel Iani at the formal handover of the Port Vila CBD Geotechnical Guidance Handbook and Geotechnical Hazards Portal on 14 October 2026.
The New Zealand High Commission has formally handed over the Port Vila CBD Geotechnical Guidance Handbook and Geotechnical Hazards Portal to the Port Vila City Council (PVCC), providing important tools to support safer rebuilding and future development following the 17 December 2024 earthquake.
The handover marks another important step in Port Vila's recovery and rebuilding, making technical information on ground conditions and earthquake-related hazards more accessible to government agencies, property owners, engineers, developers and the wider public.
The initiative was funded by the New Zealand Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and delivered by engineering consultancy Tonkin + Taylor in partnership with Egis.
Supporting Safer Rebuilding and Development
The Handbook provides guidance on ground conditions and earthquake-related hazards to help inform rebuilding and development decisions within Port Vila's CBD.
The accompanying online Geotechnical Hazards Portal makes this information publicly accessible, allowing property owners, developers, engineers and government agencies to better understand potential hazards when planning construction or new developments.
New Zealand High Commissioner to Vanuatu, His Excellency Peter Kemp, highlighted the importance of making the information freely available to the public.
“Niu Silan i glad blong sapotem wok blong rikava mo bildbak blong Vanuatu. Taem infomesen ia i stap fri mo open long pablik, mifala i hop se bae hem i helpem ol haosona, ol bisnis, ol divelopa mo ol gavman ejensi blong tekem ol gudfala disisen taem Port Vila i stap bildbak blong fiuja.”
Port Vila Lord Mayor, Hon. Samuel Iani, welcomed the handover and acknowledged New Zealand's contribution to the city's recovery.
“For Port Vila City Council, these tools are an important resource as we continue rebuilding our city. They will help us better understand ground conditions and support more informed planning and development decisions. We thank the New Zealand Government for this valuable support to Port Vila's recovery.”
Public Consultation and Technical Government Engagement
The development of the Handbook and Portal included public consultation VCCI stakeholder forum strengthens dialogue on the Port Vila CBD rebuild, giving property owners, businesses, developers and the wider public an opportunity to review the draft guidance, ask questions and provide feedback.
Separate technical consultations were also held with PVCC and relevant government agencies to review the guidance and discuss how it could be used in planning, building and development approval processes.
Both consultation processes helped inform the final Handbook and Portal, taking into account public concerns as well as technical and government requirements.
How the Guidance Will Be Used
The guidance does not classify individual properties as safe or unsafe or impose blanket restrictions on development.
Property owners and developers will still need appropriate site-specific investigations and engineering assessments to guide building and development decisions.
PVCC is responsible for regulating and controlling development within Port Vila, including decisions on planning permission and building permit applications. The Handbook and Portal will provide technical information to support PVCC in carrying out these responsibilities, particularly as rebuilding continues in the CBD.
The Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP), through its Project Management Unit (PMU), is working closely with PVCC, development partners and stakeholders to support the use of these tools in the ongoing Port Vila CBD rebuild programme.
Access the Handbook and Portal
The Geotechnical Guidance Handbook and Portal are now publicly available for government agencies, property owners, engineers, developers and the wider community.
For enquiries about the Port Vila CBD rebuild programme, contact