JAIF Support for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance
Background
ASEAN is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) reported more than five thousand disasters occurred in the region since 2012, causing unprecedented loss of lives and properties: more than 18,000 deaths and approximately USD 19.9 billion damage in total. In addition, more than 230 million people have been affected.
Japan shares the same geophysical and hydro-meteorological disaster vulnerabilities with ASEAN, which has spurred both parties to cooperate in building resilience to disasters. Guided by the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) and its current Work Programme for 2021-20251 and also reinforced by the ASEAN-Japan Work Plan on Disaster Management 2021-2025, Japan and ASEAN have joined forces to implement programmes and projects in support of building resilient communities, reducing disaster losses, and responding collectively to disasters. The first ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management plus Japan was held in October 2021 to reaffirm the longstanding relationship between Japan and ASEAN in achieving a substantial reduction of disaster losses in lives and assets and enhancing disaster resiliency in the region through collaboration and cooperation in disaster management and humanitarian assistance.
Areas of Support and
Key Contributions
In partnership with the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), through National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs), the commitment of the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) to supporting the disaster management of ASEAN is reflected in flagship programmes of the AHA Centre. Since its establishment in 2006, JAIF has rendered assistance to the AHA Centre to support and enhance its main activities for disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and response and to advance the ASEAN’s vision to be the global leader in disaster management through four flagship programmes, namely Establishment of Integrated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure and System, Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA), Transformation of ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT), and the AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme.
The followings are the key achievements of the JAIF-funded projects conducted by the AHA Centre and other implementing agencies.
JAIF Flagship Project under Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance
Upon completion of at least 1,000 hours of residential training, ACE graduates are expected to master various aspects of disaster management in accordance with international and intraregional coordination mechanisms.
Mr. Angelito R. Casinillo, Head of Policy Development and Planning, the Office of Civil Defense of the Philippines
Angelito, who completed the ASEAN-ERAT Level Induction Course in 2014, recalled his experience during his last deployment to the southern region of the Philippines in response to Tropical Storm Nalgae in November 2022. He said, “ASEAN-ERAT members are trained to work fast and to be reliable. Once we arrived in the affected areas, we immediately conducted an assessment and a focus group discussion to identify the immediate needs of the National Disaster Management Office.” He recalled how he felt after completing his deployment mission. “I was very proud because only within two days after the disaster, the team was able to deliver the needs to the affected areas.”
Angelito (left) and other ASEAN-ERAT members conducted a needs assessment with the victims of Tropical Storm Nalgae in November 2022.
© Angelito R. Casinillo
Having been deployed twice as an in-country ERAT member, Angelito still finds the refresher courses he attended in 2019 and 2023 relevant. “The refresher courses allowed me to not only review the updated ASEAN-ERAT Guidelines but also exchange information with fellow ASEAN-ERAT members.”. Read more on his story in Beneficiaries’ Voice.
Funded by JAIF, four new projects have been recently rolled out by the AHA Centre: The AHA Centre Executive (ACE): Leadership in Emergency and Disaster Management Programme (ACE-LEDMP), Strengthening the Capacity of the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) – Phase III, the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) Phase IV, and Sharing Session on the Humanitarian Response Assistance to Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake in Turkey and Syria. In addition, Mid-Term Review of the Implementation of AADMER Work Programme 2021-2025 is currently ongoing under the leadership of the ASEAN Secretariat.
1 Development of AADMER Work Programme 2021-2025 was supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).
