ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One

ASEAN

Bangkok, THAILAND

Wednesday, 9th September 2015 

One ASEAN, One Response: 
ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation (DDPM) together with the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) will conduct “One ASEAN, One Response Roadshow and ASEAN Resilience Symposium” on 10 – 11 September 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. The news was released today during the press conference held in DDPM Office by the Director-General of DDPM, Mr. Chatchai Phromlert, and the Executive Director of the AHA Centre, Mr. Said Faisal.

The objectives of this event is to familiarise the participants with the ASEAN’s regional mechanisms on disaster management as well as to introduce to them the “One ASEAN, One Response” vision, where ASEAN Member States from all relevant sectors and stakeholders will unite as one, in responding to disasters.

Director-General of DDPM, Mr Chatchai Phromlert said “we believe this roadshow will bring significant impact towards building better understanding of ASEAN’s framework on disaster management and emergency response as well as building strategic partnership among all sectors in Thailand toward building resilience.  Moreover, we can also understand how the AHA Centre fits in the regional mechanism on disaster management and how DDPM, other relevant ministries and stakeholders in Thailand can fully utilise its support for information sharing, emergency response and also, capacity-building programme for our officials.”

“One ASEAN, One Response is the vision where ASEAN is moving forward.  It envisions unity and solidarity amongst ten ASEAN Member States.  Therefore, we would like to extend our deepest appreciation for the continuous support of all ASEAN Member States, which enable us further in achieving One ASEAN, One Response,” said Mr Said Faisal, the Executive Director of the AHA Centre in his opening remarks during the press conference.

“The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) provides the legal framework for ASEAN to jointly respond to disasters and to establish effective mechanisms to reduce losses to disasters,” said Ms. Adelina Kamal, Head of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Division of the ASEAN Secretariat. “AADMER embodies the spirit of One ASEAN, One Response, and as the operational engine of AADMER, AHA Centre would need the support of all relevant sectors and stakeholders to realise the vision of One ASEAN, One Response”, she added.

Participating on the first day will be the representatives from the Thailand National Committee on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, relevant Thai ministries, ASEAN Secretariat, AHA Centre, ADPC and Thai Red Cross. The second day, targeted participants will be relevant civil society organizations, private sector, and academia and ASEAN Member States’ embassies in Thailand. 

As part of the “One ASEAN, One Response Roadshow,” the event will also engage other stakeholders, such as Thailand-based civil society organisations, private sector and the academia, on the last day of the roadshow, 11 September 2015.  The AHA Centre conducted the first roadshow in Jakarta, Indonesia in April 2015 and the second roadshow in Manila, Philippines in August 2015. AHA Centre is scheduled to conduct more roadshows in other ASEAN Member States.