In September 2014, representatives from Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) National Societies (NS) gathered in Bangkok as part of the Community Safety and Resilience Forum to enhance their integrated approach for community resilience building and strengthen the regional cooperation among and between members. Participants included Department Heads for Disaster Management, Health and Organizational Development as well as a representative from the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) Centre.

During technical discussions, it was agreed that IFRC, RCRC National Societies and the AHA Centre should continue building on the positive collaboration undertaken so far and explore opportunities for further technical cooperation in the form of a ‘joint action plan’.

The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) is a regional framework for cooperation, coordination, technical assistance, and resource mobilisation in all aspects of disaster management. AADMER provides the guidelines for effective mechanisms to achieve substantial reduction of disaster losses in lives and in the social, economic, and environmental assets, and to jointly respond to disaster emergencies through concerted national efforts and intensified regional and international cooperation.

ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) also requires the preparation of this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that shall guide the actions of Parties and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) in implementing:

The regional standby arrangements for disaster relief and emergency response;
The utilisation of military and civilian personnel, transportation and communication equipment, facilities, good and services, and the facilitation of their trans-boundary movement;
The co-ordination of joint disaster relief and emergency response operations.

Purpose and overview: The document was presented during the Community Safety and Resilience Forum held in 2015 in Indonesia. The purpose was to give an overview of AHA Centre’s role in disaster management and collaboration with IFRC.

Purpose: The ASEAN-ERAT Guidelines is intended as an easily accessible reference tool for ASEAN-ERAT before and during a mission to a disaster or emergency. The information on personal preparedness and pre-deployment arrangements, mission equipment and alert, activation and mobilization procedures…