PRESS RELEASES

Open Session between ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) and Partners

30 May 2014

   On 22 May, the Open Session between ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) and ASEAN's partners was held in Bandar Sri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. From Japan, Ms. Takako Ito, Minister-Counsellor of the Mission of Japan to ASEAN, headed the Delegation, and JICA representatives also participated in the meeting.

   In order to implement ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), two phases of Work Programme for ASEAN were adopted, and currently ASEAN is in the Phase 2 (2013-2015). During the Open Session, active discussions took place as to how ASEAN Dialogue Partners, International organizations and NGOs etc. will be able to cooperate with ASEAN during the Phase 2 of the Work Programme.

   Japan provided various assistance for the Phase 1, including the assistance to the development of ICT capacity for AHA Centre and for the NDMOs in CLMV Countries, assistance for the development of Disaster Emergency Logistics System in ASEAN Member States(DELSA) that includes the stockpiling storage for ASEAN in preparation for an emergency, and ACE Programme which provides a 6-months training course at AHA Centre for 2 officials of NDMOs from each ASEAN Member State. Japan expressed its intention to continue to cooperate with ASEAN in such a way to further develop the previous assistance.

   The Session also discussed the lessons learned and the recommendations from ASEAN's response to Typhoon Haiyan which attacked the Philippines last year. The lessons from Japan's emergency assistance to the Philippines as well as its assistance for the early recovery and reconstruction that followed were also shared by the participants of the Session.

   Japan will continue its cooperation with ASEAN in the area of disaster management, based on the Package for Strengthening ASEAN-Japan Disaster Management Cooperation, which was announced during the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit held December last year.