CO-CHAIRS’ SUMMARY REPORT OF

THE SIXTH ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM INTER-SESSIONAL MEETING ON DISASTER RELIEF (ISM-DR)

Qingdao, China,18-20 September 2006

INTRODUCTION

1.              Pursuant to the decision of the 13^th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministers’ Meeting on 29 July 2006 in Kuala Lumpur, the 6^th ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief (ISM-DR) was held in Qingdao city, Shandong Province, China on 18-20 September 2006. The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Dr.Wang Zhenyao, Director General of Department of Disaster and Social Relief, Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, and H.E. Mr. Primo Alui Joelianto, Director General for Asia-Pacific and African Affairs of Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. H.E. Mr. Li Liguo, the Deputy Director General & Secretary General of the China National Committee for Disaster Reduction, Vice Minister of Civil Affairs addressed the meeting at the opening ceremony.

2.              The Meeting was attended by delegates from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China, European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, United States of America, and Vietnam.  Representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) were also present. The list of participants is attached as ANNEX 1.

AGENDA ITEM 1: OPENING SESSION

3.              H.E. Mr. Li Liguo, Chinese Vice Minister of Civil Affairs，in his opening remarks, highlighted the importance of the Sixth ISM-DR in helping ARF participants share their best practices and successful experiences in the mobilization, utilization and management of disaster relief resources, and explore the framework, modality, and principles of the ARF disaster relief cooperation.  He also stressed China’s hope that the countries in this region could carry out disaster relief work and minimize the disaster losses through establishing regional mutual assistance and coordination mechanism on disaster relief.  The Opening Remarks of H.E. Mr. Li Liguo appears as ANNEX 2.

4.              The Indonesian ARF SOM Leader, H.E. Mr. Primo Alui Joelianto as Co-Chair, thanked the Government of the People’s Republic of China for hosting this important Meeting.  He underscored the urgency of establishing a disaster preparedness system in the Asia-Pacific region as such system was of paramount importance for the timely and abundant delivery of assistance to the disaster victims in the region.  The Opening Remarks of H.E. Mr. Primo Alui Joelianto appears as ANNEX 3.

AGENDA ITEM 2: ADOPTION OF AGENDA

5.              The Meeting adopted the Annotated Agenda of the 6^th ARF ISM-DR as attached as ANNEX 4.

AGENDA ITEM 3: REVIEW OF REGIONAL DISASTER RELIEF COOPERATION

6.              The Indonesian delegate briefed the Meeting on the humanitarian rescue and assistance activities after the Yogyakarta and Central Java tectonic earthquake on the 27^th May 2006. HeThe delegate underlined the significance of multilateral disaster relief joint operation, in which disasters could be effectively tackled with more comprehensive military and foreign operational assistance. It was suggested that the five elements could ensure more effective joint operations in the future, i.e. (i) plan for the coming of foreign assistance; (ii) justifying activities for immediate help; (iii) the receiving country’s overall coordination; (iv) voluntary foreign assistance; and (v) international agreement. The presentation of Indonesia appears as ANNEX 5.

7.               The New Zealand delegate introduced its recent contributions in regional disaster relief cooperation, with particular focus on developments by New Zealand agencies to support disaster relief capacity building in the South Pacific.  Among the developments outlined was the additional capabilities being introduced by the New Zealand defense force, particular new vessels and helicopters that will in time being increased response capability into the Pacific.  The delegate explained the possible shift of New Zealand from a donor to a recipient country due to its own disaster profile.  The delegate also outlined the difficulties in coordinating progress in disaster relief capability in the South Pacific due to the isolation of many Pacific Island countries, their scattered geographies, relatively poor communications, under-developed economies and resources.  The presentation of New Zealand appears as ANNEX 6.

8.              The Vietnam delegate briefed some outcomes of the 5^th ISM-DR in Bandung, reviewed regional disaster relief cooperation, and highlighted remaining difficulties to these efforts.  The delegate stressed the role the ARF Statement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response in guiding the future ARF activities in disaster relief, and suggested that the ARF participants should strengthen the timely exchange of information on disasters, share detailed disaster relief resources in contingencies, and promote exchange of study visits and capacity building training courses.  The delegate stressed the importance of having specific steps in assisting each other in disaster relief through multilateral and bilateral cooperation.  The delegate emphasized that the implementation of various activities should be undertaken at a pace comfortable to all ARF participants.  The presentation of Vietnam appears as ANNEX 7.

9.              The Meeting was briefed by the Head of ARF Unit in the ASEAN Secretariat on the latest development of the ASEAN cooperation on disaster management and the possible elements of ARF Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on civil military coordination on humanitarian assistance，as discussed at the ARF Defense of Officials Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 27 July 2006. He highlighted the progress of the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response and the ASEAN Regional Program on Disaster Management. He also informed the meeting of the second ASEAN disaster emergency response simulation exercise to be held in Cambodia on 27 September 2006 and welcomed the participation of the ARF Participants. The presentation of the ASEAN Secretariat appears as ANNEX 8. and ANNEX 9.

10.          The Meeting noted the positive development of the disaster relief cooperation in the region and called for favorable efforts to carry on the momentum with concrete measures.

AGENDA ITEM 4. STOCK-TAKING OF DISASTER RELIEF RESOURCES

11.          The Chinese delegate briefed the Meeting on the general practices of Chinese People’s Liberation Army in participating in the domestic emergency rescue and disaster relief operations, and the principles, laws and regulations that the military operation needs to observe.

12.          The delegate from the European Union introduced the disaster monitoring, information and rescue mechanisms of the EU. He emphasized interoperability with the UN disaster management mechanisms and its effectiveness in using the existing assets.  He also underlined that military resources should only be used in case that civilian resources proved insufficient.  The Representative of the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) briefed on the ECHO assistance efforts in the Asia-Pacific region, underlining the importance of the partnership and coordination among countries in disaster assessment and management, and reiterate the EU support to the enhancement of the regional disaster preparedness and the establishment of a tsunami early warning system. The presentation of the European Union appears as ANNEX 10.

13.          The Japanese delegate elaborated on international disaster relief law and international disaster relief activities, including major operations by Japanese civilian teams and Self-Defense Force units. A briefing was given on the latest developments of the Tokyo Defense Forum (TDF) and the theme, objectives, and agenda of the 11^th TDF to be held in Tokyo on 23 to 26 October 2006. The presentation of Japan appears as ANNEX 11. 

14.          The Philippine delegate briefed the meeting on the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and Four Point Action Plan for Disaster Preparedness, which set the direction of the disaster management programs and activities of the country. He identified that certain resources, such as emergency response/search and rescue directory, civilian and military assets and disaster management expertise and technologies, may be possibly used for regional disaster management and relief operations, and underlined the important role played by the international community in supporting and complementing national and regional responses to disaster management and relief.  The presentation of the Philippines appears as ANNEX 12.

15.          The delegate from Thailand introduced Thailand’s disaster relief resources and capacities, focusing on the legal framework, organizational command structure, the National Action Plan and SOPs, stockpiles and relief assets, relief fund, training and exercise and overseas assistance of the country with regard to disaster relief.  He suggested that the ARF countries strengthen regional disaster preparedness through such measures as (i) ARF Standby Arrangement featuring information sharing on emergency response assets and capacities and the development of common Standard Operation Procedures integrating the UN Operational guidelines and capacities; (ii) holding joint training and exercises, and (iii) developing risk monitoring and early warning capabilities through sharing information, expertise and technologies, as well as contributing and utilization of the UNESCAP Tsunami Regional Trust Fund.  The presentation of Thailand appears as ANNEX 13.

16.          The Indian delegate elaborated the Indian national disaster management capabilities and its participation in the international disaster relief cooperation. He underscored that a multi-dimensional, multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach involving diverse scientific, engineering, social and financial processes should be adopted to disasters and the disaster mitigation be integrated into the development process. The presentation of India appears as ANNEX 14.

17.          The Australian delegate introduced its civil and military capabilities and tabled an inventory of assets for disaster relief. The other ARF members were encouraged to table the similar information with the view to compiling an ARF inventory of disaster relief capabilities. The presentation of Australia appears as ANNEX 15.

18.          The meeting recognized that each country has the primary responsibility to respond to disasters occurring in its territory, but multilateral cooperation among countries and international organizations might play a vital role in supporting and complementing the national response to disaster management and relief. The participants expressed their readiness and commitment to participating in the regional and international disaster relief cooperation. It was stressed by many participants that external assistance or offers of assistance shall only happen upon the request of receiving states.

AGENDA ITEM 5: MODALITIES OF THE ARF DISASTER RELIEF COOPERATION

5.1 Expectations and Modalities of the ARF Disaster Relief Cooperation.

19.          The Australian delegate introduced the initiative of an ARF disaster relief desk-top exercise proposed by Australia and Indonesia. It was stressed that this desk-top exercise, with the goal of improving the speed and effectiveness of the ARF multinational crisis response and supporting development of regional SOPs, would focus on cooperation between military resources, plus services and professionals in an inter-agency context. The delegate outlined the pending timeframe of the desk-top exercise, which includes a preparatory conference in late 2007, and the first exercise in early 2008, and annual exercises thereafter.  The proposal would be further developed through the ISG process.  The Australian delegation suggested the ARF could fill a niche role in promoting civil-military cooperation in emergency response.  The presentation of Australia appears as ANNEX 16. 

20.          The Chinese delegate suggested that the ARF disaster relief cooperation modality should be open, specific, and evolutionary.  The delegate went further to suggest that such a modality could be shaped by the following three steps: (i) the formulation of a framework that includes norms, rules, and procedures for disaster relief cooperation; (ii) the establishment of the regional database of disaster relief resources and capacities with Survey Forms of Domestic and Overseas Disaster Relief Resources and Capacities; (iii) the clear identification of cooperation directions by following the framework and database in the fields suggested by the ARF Statement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response. The presentation of China appears as ANNEX 17.

21.           The Malaysian delegate gave a presentation on Malaysia’s domestic disaster mechanism and briefed the meeting about Malaysia’s disaster relief efforts with both civil and military resources at home and abroad, lessons learned during these operations and the future direction of Malaysia’s disaster management and international disaster relief modalities.  The presentation of Malaysia appears as ANNEX 18.

22.          The Singaporean delegate briefed the Meeting on the role of operational agencies in Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, and the challenges faced on the ground, with a focus on the operations by the SAF and the SCDF after the Indian Ocean Tsunami.  The delegate then proposed that the ARF consider the sharing of best practices through workshops, dialogues, a directory of specialized experts and a list of disaster management procedures and manuals of ARF countries, identifying niche areas for cooperation in the fields of disaster relief, recovery and reconstruction, and the forging of practical cooperation between operational agencies through joint training and exercises.  The delegate also expressed support for the desk-top exercise proposal by Australia and Indonesia, and stressed the necessity of launching tangible ARF cooperation on disaster relief. The presentation of Singapore appears as ANNEX 19.

23.          The United States delegate briefed the Meeting on the potential areas for cooperation under the ARF framework and the role of the Centre of Excellence in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance (COE). They underlined the civil-military cooperation, information sharing, strengthening of national and regional preparedness as important areas for ARF’s contribution for responding disasters. It was highlighted that the COE, with its wide range of military and civil collaborators, was willing to support the ARF disaster relief cooperation by seeking references from the existing mutual assistance guidelines, coordinating civil and military resources, using guidelines for leveraging and coordinating unsolicited international assistance, integrating UN and regional SOPs, and facilitating information sharing with agreed procedures. The presentations of the United States appear as ANNEX 20. and ANNEX 21.

24.          The Meeting recognized the urgency of starting the ARF regional cooperation on disaster relief, and agreed that the ARF participants could identify some priority areas for cooperation，such as civil-military coordination, and the modality of cooperation should complement rather than duplicate the existing regional arrangements.

25.          The Meeting noted a series efforts by the ARF participants to push forward a practical, effective, and orderly ARF disaster relief cooperation modality, including the draft of the ARF General Guidelines for Disaster Relief Cooperation and the Survey Forms of Domestic and Overseas Disaster Relief Resources and Capacities proposed by China, the Concept Paper of ARF Preliminary Concept on Standby Arrangement and Rapid Response System proposed by Indonesia, and the proposal for a ARF disaster relief desk-top exercise by Australia and Indonesia. The Meeting welcomed these new initiatives as valuable assets in moving forward the ARF cooperation to a more tangible stage, and agreed to discuss the proposals further.  

5.2 Ways and Means for the International Organizations to Participate and Advance ARF Disaster Relief Cooperation.

26.          The representative of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) elaborated the ADPC disaster relief cooperation with ASEAN and its support and participation in the past ARF disaster relief and disaster risk management cooperation. He recommended that disaster preparedness and disaster risk management be mainstreamed into the development cycle and emphasis be given to institutional development, public awareness, and training for disaster risk management. At the regional level, he highlighted the importance of capacity building and information sharing and suggested to build up regional coordination mechanisms such as hotline and website. The presentation is attached as ANNEX 22.

27.          The delegate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) gave a presentation on the role of Red Cross and Red Crescent in disaster management. The presentation of the IFRC appears as ANNEX 23.

28.          The meeting noted that coordination is vital in ensuring the rapid disaster response of the region. Some participants also stressed the role of NGOs in regional disaster relief and management endeavors.

5.3 Introduction of an ARF preliminary concept on standby arrangement and rapid response system.

29.          The Meeting was introduced by the Indonesian delegate on the concept of ARF Standby Arrangement and Rapid Response System, with the goal of ensuring prompt response in times of emergency and a smooth and seamless deployment of relief efforts.  The delegate also welcomed comments from ARF participants on this concept.  The presentation of Indonesia appears as ANNEX 24.

30.          The Meeting noted the importance of a standby arrangement and rapid response system within the ARF disaster relief cooperation, consistent with the on-going process of the ASEAN standby arrangement，taking into account of the United Nations’ guidelines, procedures and capacities in the area of disaster management.  Many delegates expressed a desire that any new ARF standby arrangement and rapid response system should strengthen and enhance rather than duplicate existing international and multilateral disaster response systems.  The Meeting also emphasized the importance of the ARF General Guidelines for Disaster Relief Cooperation as a basis for the rules of procedure of the ARF standby arrangement and rapid response system.

31.          The Meeting emphasized the necessity of the coordinated time frame of deployment, and underscored the importance of updating ARF Disaster Relief focal points listed on the ARF website. A clear mandate, exit strategy, a clear work map, enlisting the help of other organizations, and a transparent system were also highlighted to be important in enhancing disaster response.  

AGENDA ITEM 6: INTRODUCTION OF THE ARF GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR DISASTER RELIEF COOPERATION

32.          The Chinese delegate briefed the meeting on the formulation of the ARF General Guidelines for Disaster Relief Cooperation.  The delegate pointed out that the Guidelines, which comprise of six parts covering the basic norms, rules, and procedures during the launch, implementation, and conclusion of disaster relief, will become the first ARF document spelling out the basic principles for regional disaster relief cooperation, and will serve the interests of all ARF participants and give an impetus to future cooperation.  The delegate also hoped that the ARF participants could give their comments on the draft Guidelines and Survey Forms before the next ISG on CBM&PD in early November 2006.

33.          The ARF unit of the ASEAN Secretariat encouraged the ARF participant to use the ARFNET Discussion Forum in continuing their communication of the proposals tabled at the Meeting and in following up the implementation of the ARF Statement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response.

AGENDA ITEM 7: ADOPTION OF CO-CHAIRS’ SUMMARY REPORT

34.          China and Indonesia jointly presented the Co-Chairs’ Summary Report of the Sixth ARF ISM-DR.

35.          The Meeting adopted the Co-Chairs’ Summary Report of the Sixth ARF ISM-DR.

AGENDA ITEM 8: OTHER MATTERS

36.          The participants, upon the conclusion of the meeting, participated in a field trip to the Qingdao Fire-fighting Brigade and watched the Exercises of Firefighting and Rescue organized specially for the meeting. 

37.          Indonesia and the European Union will co-chair the Seventh ARF ISM- DR meeting in Finland in late 2007. 

38.          The Meeting expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its generous hospitality and for the excellent arrangements made for the meeting. 

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