Following this seminar, PMI was inspired to organise its own national level workshop to examine issues related to customs procedures when receiving international assistance in Indonesia. The workshop, taking place from 24 to 26 July, convened a total of 47 participants, including PMI staff, heads of provincial chapters, IFRC staff and members of partner National Societies.
In his opening speech, PMI Secretary-General Budi Adiputro stressed the importance of educating provincial chapter staff on the issue of customs. “PMI has adopted a 6-hour time-frame policy for aid to reach a disaster affected area,” he observed, “so we can ensure that we immediately mobilise our resources, logistics, communications and goods. We expect that the provincial chapters are well equipped and prepared to receive aid and donations from other places.” With reference to the resolutions on disaster law adopted during the 30th and 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, he remarked that “many calls have been made at the global level to ensure that there are enabling national legal frameworks in place to receive international assistance. Indonesia has slowly adopted regulations concerning international assistance, but much work still needs to be done in terms of dissemination and knowledge building”.
Participants learned about key international and national regulatory tools, including the IDRL Guidelines and Indonesia’s Regulation No.23 of 2008 on the participation of international institutions and foreign non-governmental institutions in disaster management. The Health Department and the Finance Department also presented their policies regarding relief goods during disaster emergencies.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants developed a list of recommendations for PMI leadership and the Indonesian government. They recommended that PMI strengthen its partnerships with key stakeholders managing international assistance, develop procedures relative to the reception of international assistance and develop a manual compiling all government regulations related to customs. Recommendations to the government included producing a manual on international assistance compiling all applicable laws, regulations and procedures, continuing to work towards the ratification of international treaties related to customs in international disaster response, and further enhancing already existing national regulations related to international assistance.