ASEAN PLANS TO SET UP DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM

By Jamaluddin Muhammad

BANGKOK, June 28 (Bernama) -– Asean has plans to set up a regional disaster
response team for rapid deployment to assist member countries during hard times.

The Asean Secretariat's disaster management and humanitarian assistance
division head, Adelina Dwi Ekawati Kamal, said team would comprises members of
the 10-nation grouping.

She said the establishment of the team was part of the coordinated efforts
by member countries to help one another in the event of a disaster.

"It (setting of the team) is still in the planning stage. We have yet to
decide on its size, training, equipment and budget," she told Bernama.

Adelina said this after attending the 2nd Workshop on Asean Defence
Establishments and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Cooperation on
Non-Traditional Security (Disaster Management), at a hotel here Monday.

She said Asean had seen several major disasters, including tsunami, cyclone
and floods in the last 10 years, with 500,000 people reported killed or missing,
and losses totalling US$10 bil1ion.

Adelina said the setting up of the team was also part of an initiative under
the Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response ratified by
member countries last year.

The agreement aims to provide effective mechanisms to achieve substantial
reduction of disaster losses in lives, and in the social, economic and
environmental assets of member countries.

It will enable a joint response to disaster emergencies through concerted
national efforts and intensified regional and international cooperation.

Adelina said the legally-binding agreement made member-countries to
cooperate
in developing and implementing measures to reduce disaster losses,
including identification of disaster risk, development of monitoring, assessment
and early warning system.

She said the team would be coordinated by the Jakarta-based Asean
Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management, adding
that it would compliment the respective national disaster relief teams.

She believed the cooperation between Asean defence establishments and
civil society organisations could enhance the region's capability in handling
future disasters.

Meanwhile, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center executive director Dr Bhichit
Rattakul said Asean member countries should not only strengthen inter-country
capability in managing disasters but also within the respective country itself.

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center was established in 1986 at the
initiative of three United Nations agencies to support the advancement of safer
communities and sustainable development through implementing programmes and
projects that reduce the impact of disasters.

-- BERNAMA




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