ASEAN Regional Forum Strategic Guidance for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief ARF ISM on DR Banda Aceh 5-6 December 2008

Background  ARF Ministerial Meeting July 2006 ARF Statement on Disaster Relief and Emergency Response recognised the need for greater regional cooperation ARF Statement on Disaster Relief and Emergency Response recognised the need for greater regional cooperation  Concept for a desktop exercise and the development of operating procedures tabled  Endorsed by the ARF ministerial meeting August 2007  Initial Planning Conference Sept 2007  Desktop Exercise May 2008  ARF Ministerial Meeting in July 2008 committed to further develop the Guidance document

Aims  To strengthen national and regional disaster response capabilities among ARF members  To improve the speed and effectiveness of ARF multinational disaster relief responses  To complement ASEAN HADR efforts and internationally recognised Guidelines

Desktop Exercise on Disaster Relief (DEDR)  Syndicate discussion based on disaster management cycle  Syndicate findings presented to the plenary  Summary of significant areas for future development of the Guidance and areas for HADR cooperation

Outcomes of the Desktop Exercise  Renamed Strategic Guidance for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief  Recommendation to include a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement / model draft drawn from the UN Oslo Guidelines to assist deployment of foreign military assistance  Noted need for the ARF’s Guidance to be complementary and terminology consistent with internationally recognised guidelines  Proposal to establish an ARF Working Group to take carriage of the development of the Guidelines and future activity

Contents  Overview  Characteristics - key components of disaster management and mitigation  Disaster Relief - approach, principles, key actors and implementation  Coordination and cooperation - authority and coordination responsibilities  Logistics - planning, transition and health considerations  Preparedness  Training

Line of Operation

Virtual Task Force Model

Working Group  Develop an ongoing program of capacity building exercises to test elements of the Guidance and inform a future work plan  Development of the virtual task force model  Focus on multi-agency response and planning and communications, cooperation and coordination  Coordination with ASEAN and consideration of possible linkages to the AHA Center  Model agreement for foreign military assistance  OCHA/IFRC participation

Next Steps