ADDM & IDDRR 2022:
SYNERGISING REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ACTION FOR DISASTER RESILIENCES
Every year, disasters triggered by natural and non-natural hazards affect millions of people globally. As one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world, ASEAN is particularly vulnerable. From 2015 to 2021, 104.2 million people1, or about one in four people in the region, were affected by disasters. Meanwhile, the total economic loss suffered by ASEAN Member States during this period reached a staggering US$11.1 billion.
However, the impact of these disasters can be lessened through systematic efforts to identify, assess, and reduce the causal factors of disasters. This is known as Disaster Risk Reduction or DRR in short. Disaster Risk Reduction itself is part of Disaster Management, which the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) defines as “the organisation, planning and application of measures preparing for, responding to and recovering from disasters2.”
The complexity of disasters and their wide-ranging effects mean that the cooperation of multiple stakeholders is vital to disaster management. Over the years, ASEAN and the AHA Centre have had the privilege of partnering with a wide range of governments, institutions, and organisations. These partnerships have played valuable roles, ranging from direct financial support, bringing in skilled professionals to provide key technical inputs, to partnerships based on knowledge sharing and capacity building.
To sustain these partnerships and enhance awareness of national and regional activities related to disaster management and risk reduction, the ASEAN Ministers responsible for disaster management designated 13 October as the ASEAN Day for Disaster Management (ADDM), which is observed jointly with the UN’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR).
This year’s ADDM celebration took place on 20 October in Bangkok at the margins of the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) and 10th COP to AADMER. The theme of ADDM 2022, “Stronger Together in Balancing Action to Enhance Localisation for Disaster Resilience,” dovetails with target G of the Sendai Framework that aims to increase access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people.
In his remarks, AMMDM Chair General Anupong Paochinda emphasised that “the themes of ADDM and IDDRR this year call for collaboration and support from all sectors in making our local communities resilient by equipping them with disaster risk information, early warning system, and means of disaster preparedness.’’
The AHA Centre supports ASEAN Member States in this endeavour through one of its core functions, namely disaster information management. Utilising the ASEAN Disaster Monitoring and Response System (DMRS), the Centre works with Member States to monitor hazards, collect, analyse, and disseminate key relevant information to support disaster management.
The AHA Centre also disseminates information on a regular basis to the public, through Flash Updates and Situation Updates during emergency times, as well as Weekly Disaster Updates and the Monthly Disaster Outlook and Review in non-emergency times. Additionally, in May 2022, ASEAN launched the Framework on Anticipatory Action in disaster management, that will guides the ASEAN Member States in implementing anticipatory action in disaster risk management (DRM) at the regional, national, and local scale through joint regional efforts.
To become a truly disaster-resilient region, going forward, it will become increasingly important for ASEAN and its partners to synergise regional and global efforts in disaster management that not only target institutions, but also communities and individuals at the local level.
1 Based on ADINet records from reports from NDMOs and official information sources.
2 https://www.undrr.org/terminology/disaster-management
Written by: Gladys Respati | Photo credits: DDPM Thailand, AHA Centre
