YOGYAKARTA, 3 August 2023 – The ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise 2023 (ARDEX-23) was co-organised by the National Disaster Management Authority of Indonesia and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre).

ARDEX is a full-scale simulation exercise that seeks to test, practice, review, and evaluate ASEAN’s emergency response and disaster management mechanisms. The exercise is conducted every two years to test regional processes and capabilities. This year, ARDEX-23 took place on 31 July to 3 August and was participated in by over 300 participants from ASEAN Member States (AMS), observers from ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) partner countries and Timor-Leste.

In testing multi-sectoral mechanisms for ASEAN’s emergency response to disasters, the ASEAN disaster management sector, including the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT), ASEAN health and defence sectors, Indonesia’s line ministries and agencies including the National Search and Rescue Agency, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency, ministries for foreign affairs, health, defence, finance, and law and human rights participated in the proceedings.

In an effort to synergise ASEAN-UN interoperability in disaster response, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also participated along with relevant non-government organisations such as Red Cross Indonesia.

ARDEX-23 specifically aimed to review and test the ASEAN Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations, the Terms of Reference of the Secretary-General of ASEAN as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator, and other ASEAN emergency response mechanisms. The programme comprised of a tabletop exercise, a command post exercise, and a field training exercise.

Depicted in the exercises was a scenario of a 6.5 magnitude earthquake caused by a movement in the Opak Fault in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta. More than 180 players from AMS and over 500 local players joined the simulation.

The event was supported by the Project of Integrated Programme in Enhancing the Capacity of AHA Centre and ASEAN Emergency Response Mechanisms managed by AHA Centre.

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