ASEAN Launches the Second Batch of ASEAN’s Disaster Management Officials Executive Programme

aseanlogoJAKARTA, 20 February 2015 – The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre) announced the start of the second batch of the AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme earlier this week. Sixteen disaster management officers from ASEAN Member States’ National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs) from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam are participating in the second batch of the ACE Programme.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, reiterated the importance of the ACE Programme. “Through this Programme, ASEAN is enhancing the capacity of NDMOs in the region by developing their skills and competencies and preparing them for future challenges,” he said.

The ACE Programme is designed to prepare future leaders of disaster management in ASEAN. ACE Programme is by far the most intensive disaster management training programme in the region.

“We are truly delighted that the ACE Programme has entered its second batch. The ACE Programme is a testament of intergovernmental cooperation and that when it comes to disasters, the people come first.  We at the AHA Centre are proud to be able to assist in preparing future disaster management leaders who will not only help their nations but also ASEAN and the world,” said Mr. Said Faisal, the Executive Director of the AHA Centre during the launch of the ACE Programme.

The ACE Programme requires the participants to commit to six-month training programme covering various disaster management and leadership topics. From hands-on experience working at the AHA Centre to training courses and workshops in various topics, as well as comparative studies to disaster-affected areas in Japan, New Zealand and Indonesia. The ACE Programme will be implemented in three batches until next year, 2016, aiming to generate up to 60 new disaster management champions across ASEAN.

The official opening ceremony was graced by the presence of H.E. Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Koichi Aiboshi, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN, and Col (R) Pengiran Dato Paduka Hj Rosli bin Pengiran Hj Chuchu, Director of National Disaster Management Centre of Brunei Darussalam as Chair of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM). ASEAN Dialogue Partners and partner agencies supporting the ACE Programme also attended the launch.

In addition to support provided by the Government of Japan through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), the ACE Programme is also supported by various organisations, including NDMOs of the ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Secretariat, Government of Australia, Government of New Zealand, Government of United States, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UN World Food Programme, UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Subang, International Organisation for Migration, University of Canterbury, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, London School Academy, AADMER Partnership Group, United States Pacific Command, Indonesian Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, RedR UK, RedR Australia, and the Civic Force Japan.

About ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre)

AHA Centre is an inter-governmental organisation established by ten ASEAN Member States on 17 November 2014 with the aim to facilitate cooperation and coordination among ASEAN Member States and with relevant United Nations and international organisations in promoting regional collaboration in disaster management. AHA Centre in based in Jakarta, Indonesia. For more information regarding the AHA Centre, please visit www.ahacentre.org.