Updates on ASEAN Cooperation on Disaster Management By ASEAN Secretariat 7 th ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief Helsinki, 10-12 October 2007
Disaster Risks in ASEAN Natural hazards abound: typhoon, flood, landslide, earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, drought, etc. Poverty, a vulnerability condition, prevails Fast growing population, increasing population densities, urbanisation, environmental degradation and pollution increase disaster risks in the region Disasters remain a major constraint to the progress and prosperity of the ASEAN community
Disaster Management in ASEAN Mutual assistance in disasters: one of the founding principles of ASEAN for almost 4 decades (since 1967) ASEAN regional cooperation on disaster management (DM): Created and sustained momentum for the last 4 years (starting 2003) Launched and implement a regional programme DM priorities reaffirmed by Heads of State/Government Ongoing partnership with key partners Major disasters provided critical momentum to strengthen regional cooperation & accelerated regional timeline
Institutional Framework ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) ASEAN Secretariat AMMDM, Cambodia, Dec 04
ASEAN COMMITTEE ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT National Disaster Management Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs, Brunei Darussalam National Committee for Disaster Management, Cambodia National Coordinating Board for Disaster Management (BAKORNAS PB), Indonesia National Disaster Management Office, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Lao PDR National Security Division, Prime Minister s Department, Malaysia Current Chair Relief and Resettlement Department, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Myanmar National Disaster Coordinating Council, Philippines Singapore Civil Defence Force, Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Ministry of Interior, Thailand Central Committee of Flood and Storm Control, Viet Nam
Programme Framework ASEAN REGIONAL PROGRAMME ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT (ARPDM) Launched in Bali, Indonesia, in May 2004, ARPDM outlines five regional priorities: 1. Establishment of ASEAN Regional Disaster Management Framework 2. Capacity Building 3. Sharing of Information and Resources 4. Promoting Collaboration and Strengthening Partnerships 5. Public Education, Awareness and Advocacy
Legal Framework ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Initiated in mid 04, mandate given 3 weeks before tsunami, draft negotiated in 05 within 4 months Signed by Foreign Ministers of ASEAN on 26 July 2005 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Ratification underway Embodies ASEAN s commitment to effective disaster risk reduction and coordinated joint emergency
ASEAN AGREEMENT ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE - The Objective - To provide effective mechanisms to achieve substantial reduction of disaster losses in lives and in the social, economic and environmental assets of the Parties, and to jointly respond to disaster emergencies through concerted national efforts and intensified regional and international cooperation (Article 2)
Key Activities in Progress ASEAN Regional Disaster Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX) ASEAN Regional Standby Arrangements Standard Ops Procedure
Article 8. Preparedness The Parties shall, jointly or individually, develop strategies and contingency/response plans to reduce losses from disasters (Article 8.1) The Parties shall prepare SOPs for the regional standby arrangements for disaster relief and emergency response; utilisation of military and civilian personnel, transportation and communication equipment, facilities, goods and services; and coordination of joint disaster relief and response operations (Article 8.2) The Parties shall conduct training and exercises to attain and maintain the relevance and applicability of such SOPs (Article 8.3.c)
ASEAN SASOP SASOP: Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Ops To operationalise Article 8.2 under AADMER SASOP developed through desk-top study, formulation workshops, and regional simulation exercises Article 8.2. prepare Standard Operating Procedures for regional cooperation.. incl. regional standby arrangements, utilisation of military and civilian assets, and coordination of joint disaster relief and emergency response operations
SASOP DEVELOPMENT Desk-top study and drafting of concepts to propose elements for SASOP (05) Concepts discussed in three SASOP workshops (Jun 05 in Yangon, Sept 05 in KL, Jan 06 in Jakarta) Inputs & lessons learned generated from exercises (ARDEX- 05, Sept 05 in Selangor and ARDEX-06, Sept 06 in Cambodia) Manual version of SASOP (ver 1) developed by ASEC (Sept 06 March 07) 9 th ACDM Meeting, Mar 07 formed a Sub Committee on SASOP to review the draft (ver 1) in detail 1 st SASOP meeting, May 07, continued with further review & revision SASOP (ver 2) - released to ACDM in early Oct 07 to be used and further validated in ARDEX-07 ARDEX-07 to provide further inputs on ver 2
ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX) Annual conduct of ARDEX to enhance Member Countries capabilities in joint disaster relief and emergency operations Lessons learnt serve as inputs for review, and enhancement for the SOP for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Ops (SASOP) Article 8.3.c. conduct training and exercises to attain and maintain the relevance and applicability of the Standard Operating Procedures
ARDEX-05 MALAYSIA Collapsed Structure Disaster Scenario Testing mobilisation of cross-border assistance and deployment of urban search and rescue capacities, participated by Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Singapore, others as referees
ARDEX-06 CAMBODIA Flood Disaster Scenario Over 2,000 participants and observers; and air, land and water equipment from Cambodia and 6 other ASEAN Member Countries (Brunei D, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand) Involved both civilian and military assets and personnel
UPCOMING ARDEX-07 22-25 October 2007, SINGAPORE Scenario: Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) involving massive collapse of structure and mass casualties
ASEAN Regional Standby Arrangements Article 9.1: earmarked assets & capacities for joint disaster relief & emergency response ops Online updates at http://standby.aseansec.o
Operational Arm AHA Centre ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) shall be established to facilitate cooperation and coordination among the Parties, and with relevant UN and international organisations, in promoting regional collaboration Establishment of AHA Centre is underway with 2 consultative workshops held in Dec 2006 (Indonesia) & in Mar 07 (Lao PDR) Priority functions of AHA Centre have been identified and basic facilities to be set up by end 07 AHA Centre to play its role in ARDEX- 07 (Article 20.1)
Article 11. Joint Emergency Response through the Provision of Assistance When a Party needs assistance in the event of a disaster emergency, it may request or accept an offer of assistance that is appropriate and responsive to its needs (Article 11.1-6) Member Countries responded swiftly to the May 2006 earthquake in Yogyakarta, the July 2006 tsunami in West Java, and the December 2006 Typhoon Durian in Philippines Informal Gathering of ACDM Chair with ASEAN Commanders and Team Leaders, May 06, Yogyakarta
Collaboration and Strengthening Partnership with Partners ASEAN Plus Three Countries - ASEAN 10 + China, Japan and ROK East Asian Summit (EAS) - ASEAN 10, Australia, China, India, Japan, ROK and New Zealand Use ASEAN Dialogue the Partners ongoing - (including US, EU, Russia, Canada, initiatives UNDP, under Pakistan) the ASEAN Regional regional Forum programme (ARF) 27 participating countries, including and AADMER ASEAN 10 as the Relevant UN platform agencies for - UNHCR, interfacing UNISDR, UNOCHA with partners Centres of excellence - PDC, ecentre, ADPC, ADRC, NDRCC) IFRC Other regional networks in AP SAARC, SOPAC
Challenges & Opportunities Availability of sufficient framework and platforms for promoting collaboration and partnership Importance to get the priority right, know one s own local fit Opportunity for collaboration using AADMER as the platform Spirit to continue to assert leadership and be the driving force in the SEA region Necessity to maintain the momentum and work towards institutionalisation and integration
Thank you