AHA Centre
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) was established on 17 November 2011 by all the 10 Member States ASEAN: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, as the operational coordination body and engine of ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER).
The centre was set up to facilitate the cooperation and coordination among ASEAN member states and with the United Nations and international organizations for disaster management and emergency response in the ASEAN region. The Terms of Reference of the AHA Centre is annexed on AADMER.
The AHA Centre receives all its overall strategic guidance from the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), which consists of the heads of representatives of the 10 National Disaster Management Offices of ASEAN Member States. For more information, visit AHA Centre website.
Joint Action Plan for Technical Collaboration between Red Cross Red Crescent Societies and ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) Centre
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’.
ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER)
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’s Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations – SASOP
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.
AHA Centre (power point presentation describing its role and collaboration with IFRC)
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.
- Joint Action Plan for Technical Collaboration between Red Cross Red Crescent Societies and ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) Centre
- ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER)
- ASEAN’s Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations – SASOP
- AHA Centre Presentation (describing its roles and collaboration with IFRC)
ASEAN-ERAT (ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team) Guidelines
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…
AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme
With the support from the Government of Japan through Japan – ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), the Programme was implemented in 2014 and in 2015. With three batches planned the ACE Programme targets to generate 60 new disaster management champions across ASEAN.
Read more more about ACE Programme: Link to AHA Centre ACE Programme overview
SEA National RCRC Societies – IFRC Engagement with ASEAN | 4 September 2024 | Bali, Indonesia
4 September20th South-East Asia RCRC Leaders Meeting l 21 – 22 September 2023 l Phnom Penh, Cambodia
21 September , 2023 - 22 September , 20232nd SEA RCRC Youth Forum 2023 l 17 – 20 September 2023 l Phnom Penh, Cambodia l Hosted by Cambodian Red Cross & IFRC
17 September , 2023 - 20 September , 202319th Annual Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent Leadership Meeting | 6-7 October 2022 | Hosted by Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society
6 October , 2022 - 7 October , 2022IFRC, AHA Centre Co-Host Southeast Asia ‘Management of International Assistance’ Workshop | 20-21 November 2019 | Jakarta, Indonesia
20 November , 2019 - 21 November , 2019