The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response

The Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami held on 6 January 2005 adopted the Declaration on Action to Strengthen Emergency Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Prevention on the Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster on 26 December 2004. The Declaration distinguishes three phases: emergency relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction, and prevention and mitigation.

During the emergency relief phase, the Declaration called the UN to take lead in mobilising international community to support national relief emergency programmes of the affected countries in their role as national coordinators. The international financial institutions are called upon to take lead during the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase, upon the request and leadership of the country concerned, to support the respective national programmes of the affected countries. On prevention and mitigation, the Declaration calls for support for ASEAN’s various agreed initiatives and on-going programmes, the development of a regional instrument on disaster management and emergency response, the establishment of tsunami early warning systems for the Indian Ocean and the Southeast Asian region, and implementation of other preventive measures such as public education and awareness, and capacity building.

The development of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response is now ongoing. Following the mandate given by the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management in early December 2004, the ACDM met on 22-24 March 2005 in Bali, Indonesia to discuss and negotiate the draft regional agreement. The second negotiation session was held on 9-10 May 2005 in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is expected that the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response will be finalised and signed by mid 2005.

The Agreement is expected to provide a framework for the development of operational procedures to respond collectively and expeditiously to disasters. The Agreement will include provisions for movement of relief assistance, expedited customs and immigration clearance, etc. The utilisation of military and civilian personnel in disaster relief and the establishment of a centre to coordinate regional disaster response have been proposed as part of the Agreement. The Agreement will also include provisions for setting up an ASEAN disaster relief fund. The Agreement will also provide for simulation exercises to test emergency responses on a regular basis.

_______________________

• Click here to download the Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response, Vientiane, 26 July 2005
• Click here to download the Declaration on Action to Strengthen Emergency Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Prevention on the Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster of 26 December 2004