The Council of Ministers has approved for the President to extend the State of Emergency (SOE) for the current coronavirus pandemic from 1 August to 31 December 2021.
The extension period shall be subject to advice from the National Disaster Committee.
The extension is applicable to the whole of Vanuatu and is aimed at strengthening international border control prevention measures and infection prevention and control standards in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SOE falls under the ambit of the Disaster Risk Management Act No. 23 of 2019.
The Council of Ministers met last week and the discussed SOE extension.