GIZ: Enhancing the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX)

South East Asia is the most natural disaster prone region in the world. All countries of this region are making efforts to address this situation, but there is still a strong need for harmonization and standardization of disaster management (DM) practices. As a prominent regional organization, ASEAN can play this important role and provide DM guidance and best practices to its state members.

To contribute to the foundation of a high-quality planning, execution and evaluation of future ARDEX exercises as well as to the strengthening of its relevance as a flagship simulation exercise for the “one ASEAN, one response” strategy.

40-50 staff and delegates from ASEAN member States, the ASEAN Secretariat and the AHA Centre:

• Permanent Team (including management) working in the ASEAN AHA Centre and participating to the ARDEX exercise;
• 2 from ASEAN Secretariat;
• 20 participants from national disaster/emergency management agencies/offices (NDMA/Os) of 10 ASEAN Member States*,
• Team of referees provided by ASEAN member States.

Indirectly, the at-risk population of the 10 ASEAN member States is targeted.

*Financial support won’t be granted to representatives from Brunei and Singapore being high-income countries.

1. Planning, execution and evaluation of ARDEX16 are optimized through better and aligned tools, techniques and procedures;
2. The role of the AHA Centre in co-organizing ARDEX is strengthened, and its capacity to provide guidance and technical support to the ARDEX host country is enhanced.

Expected results:  

1.1 Key operational documents are reviewed;

1.2 The ARDEX referee system is standardized;

2.1 The AHA Centre exercise planning procedures are trained and enhanced;

2.2 Exercise data management and decision support system is assessed and recommendations provided;

2.3 Performances of the AHA Centre Emergency Response & Assessment Team (ERAT) are assessed and guidance and training provided;

2.4 Exercise evaluation and lessons learned processes are formalized.

ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Committee for Disaster Management (ACDM); ASEAN Coordination Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Center); Brunei’s National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC).

• The 2016 ARDEX exercise seeks to evaluate and review the regional mechanism for mutual assistance and response procedures amongst ASEAN member States and is therefore linked with national emergency response mechanisms and authorities;
• ARDEX contributes to the implementation of the work plan of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER).

Phase 1 01.12.2015 - 31.01.2018   (Completed)