ASEAN Cooperation on Disaster Management

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ASEAN Cooperation on Disaster Management


The ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) was established in early 2003 following the decision of the ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC). The institutional mechanism (in the form of experts group) has existed since the ?70s but was only strengthened towards 2003 with the elevation of the experts group into a full-fledged committee. The ACDM consists of heads of national agencies responsible for disaster management of ASEAN Member Countries. The ACDM assumes overall responsibility for coordinating and implementing the regional activities. The ACDM met for the first time in D ecember 2003.

The ASEAN Regional Programme on Disaster Management

In pursuing a region of disaster-resilient nations and safer communities, the ACDM has developed an ASEAN Regional Programme on Disaster Management (ARPDM) to provide a framework for cooperation for the period of 2004-2010. The ARPDM outlines ASEAN?s regional strategy on disaster management, as well as priority areas and activities for disaster reduction.

The ARPDM is also used as a platform for cooperation and collaboration with ASEAN Dialogue Partners and relevant international organisations. Ongoing partners of ACDM include: the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, the Pacific Disaster Centre, the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNICEF, IFRC, Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC), etc.

The ARPDM consists of 29 activities, which are categorised into five major components. To spearhead with the implementation, the ACDM has prioritised 5 out of 29 activities as priority projects: (i) Establishment of the ASEAN Response Action Plan; (ii) Refresher Courses/ Expertise Development; (iii) ASEAN Disaster Information Sharing and Communication Network (ASEAN DISCNet), i.e. Development of ACDM Website and NDMO Websites; and Publication of ASEAN Disaster Management Information Network (ADMIN) Newsletter; (iv) Partnerships with Relevant Organisations and NGOs; and Mobilising Financial Support and Resources; and (v) ASEAN Day for Disaster Management; and Enhancing Disaster Management Public Education and Awareness Programmes.

One of the priority projects under the ARPDM is the Establishment of an ASEAN Regional Disaster Management Framework. Under this, activities will include development of a regional agreement on disaster management and emergency response; development of standard operating procedures to operationalise disaster response mechanism under the agreement; enhancing quick response team of Member Countries; and conduct of simulation exercises.


More:
http://www.aseansec.org/18444.htm

 

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Disaster Management

http://www.aseansec.org/8713.htm

 

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Re: ASEAN Cooperation on Disaster Management

Asean drafts strategy for healthy tourism
By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief
Published: September 24, 2008, 23:39

Manila: The Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) has agreed to protect tourists from infectious diseases that threaten the region, a senior Philippine official said.

In a meeting of health and tourist ministers in Bangkok, 10 Asean member countries and their counterparts in China, South Korea, and Japan, said there should be a full disclosure of the infectious diseases that are erupting in the region, to prevent their spread to tourists, said a foreign affairs official in the Philippines who requested for anonymity.

"This could affect the inflow of tourists in areas where there are eruptions of infectious diseases, but caution is needed to prevent diseases from spreading in the region or to other parts of the world," said the same official.

All Asean member countries have agreed to follow the procedure, "despite its negative effect on tourism," said the source, adding that ways of disclosures are underway. Disclosure of the eruption of infectious diseases in the region will soon be done through postings on the Asean website.

Avian flu

The website quoted Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari as saying, "Multilateral coordination ... is mutually beneficial [in the region]."

Information exchange among nations "should be developed and maintained so it continues," said Supari. About 108 people were believed to have been killed by the avian flu in Indonesia.

Dr Prad Boonyavongvirot, Health Minister of Thailand explained during a two-day workshop in Bangkok titled 'Healthy Tourism, the way to go in Asean' that "The aim of the workshop is to strengthen the partnership between the health and tourism sectors towards promoting the protection of tourists and nationals from infectious diseases."

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/09/25/10247461.html

 

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Re: ASEAN Cooperation on Disaster Management

Laos: PM leaves for 14th ASEAN Summit

A high ranking delegation of Laos led by Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh left here today to attend the 14th ASEAN Summit which will be held from 27 February - 1 March 2009 in Cha-am, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand.

At the Summit, themed ?ASEAN Charter for ASEAN Peoples?, ASEAN Leaders are expected to endorse the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint, [See below] which can been seen as master-plans to guide ASEAN towards achieving the ASEAN Political-Security Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community by 2015, respectively. They will also issue a Statement on Food Security in the ASEAN Region.

On the economic front, several documents will be signed by the ASEAN Economic Ministers, including the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area and the Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Good Manufacturing Practice of Medicinal Products.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers will also sign the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement.
Other events taking place during the Summit include the 4th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit and the 5th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit.
In line with the theme of the Summit, ASEAN Leaders will hold informal meetings with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly representatives and the youth and civil society representatives. They will also meet the Leaders from the ASEAN Business Advisory Council.

ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
Public health (HIV/AIDS and AI)
Regional health concerns
Regional disaster management and emergency responses
Regional environmental issues
Promoting civil society
Workforce development
Vulnerable populations
Sustainable energy development
Anti-trafficking

ASEAN Political Security Community
Promotion of good governance
Strengthening of rule of law, judiciary systems, and legal infrastructure
Post-conflict peace building, reconstruction, and rehabilitation

http://www.asean-us-partnership.org/advance.htm​