JICA Signs Memorandum of Intent with The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management

On October 12, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) with the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Center), which is in charge of disaster risk reduction and humanitarian assistance in the ASEAN region, to cooperate in providing disaster prevention support in the ASEAN region. The signing ceremony took place during the 3rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) plus Japan held in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam from October 11th to 13th, with the presence of His Excellency Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Chair of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management and the Conference of the Parties to the AADMER; His Excellency Hori Manabu, State Minister of Cabinet Office Japan; and His Excellency Ekkaphab Phanthavong, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

This cooperation is one of the major commitments made by the AHA Center and Japan to further strengthen their cooperative structure this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of Japan-ASEAN friendship and cooperation. In addition to providing humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, the AHA Center also provides disaster relief and humanitarian assistance not only to the ASEAN region but also to other regions under the slogan of "One ASEAN, One Response." Geographically, the ASEAN region has been hit by major earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons every year. Under these circumstances, the ASEAN region has been undergoing trial and error to find out how to overcome these geopolitical weaknesses and enable the people living in the region to overcome disasters with peace of mind and quickly return to their normal lives.

The AHA Center aims to function as a reliable presence with technology and knowledge in this field in these disaster-vulnerable regions. Going forward, JICA and the center, which has such a heavy responsibility in the ASEAN region, will first provide concrete support in the area of improving ICT systems in the disaster field. ICT technology plays an important part in this field, such as warning prediction systems and prevention systems in the disaster field. By linking this technology more efficiently and smoothly, we will increase the speed and efficiency of disaster prediction and response. In line with the ICT Roadmap 2025 currently being created by the AHA Center, we plan to provide support to further strengthen and implement the roadmap.

JICA will continue to provide support to overcome disaster prevention vulnerabilities in the ASEAN region and other parts of the world.

For further information please kindly contact :
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Sentral Senayan II Building 14th floor. Jl. Asia Afrika No.8
Ogawa Kumiko – ogawa.kumiko2@jica.go.jp- +6221-5795-2112 Ext. 311

*Note: The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Center), is an intergovernmental organization which aims to facilitate cooperation and coordination among ASEAN Member States and with the United Nations and international organizations for disaster management and emergency response in ASEAN region. The Center was established in Jakarta on November 17, 2011 in the presence of heads of state and governments from all 10 ASEAN countries.