NEWS

AHA Centre ICT Workshop

    AHA Centre ICT Workshop, organized by ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) and co-hosted by Japan and the United States, was held at AHA Centre office in Jakarta and Borobudur Hotel from 22 to 24 May 2012. The workshop was attended by three representatives from each ASEAN Member States who are in charge of ICT for disaster management in their respective countries. H.E. Mr. Kimihiro Ishikane, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN, was one of the persons who gave a welcome remarks in the opening ceremony. The japanese delegation also included Mr. Youichi Iida, Director for International Policy Coordination, Global ICT Strategy Bureau, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, as well as Ms. Takako Ito, Minister-Counsellor of the Mission of Japan to ASEAN, and other officials from the the Government of Japan.

    In the beginning of the workshop, the AHA Centre introduced to the representatives from ASEAN Member States the ICT equipments that have been installed at the Centre with the assistance from Japan.

    Following the above program, there were trial and demonstration on ICT Systems for AHA Centre and ASEAN State Members, as well as exchange of opinions between the attendees regarding the joint utilization of disaster management ICT Systems as agreed by both AHA Centre and ASEAN. In addition, the participants also share information on the current state of ICT capability in each country in order to consider the issue of establishing a network of disaster management organizations between each member countries and AHA Centre. The findings from the discussion will become a foundation for constructing disaster management information network among ASEAN countries and AHA Centre, and Japan intends to continue its support to ASEAN on this project.