We spoke to Mr. P. G. Dhar Chakrabarti, Director of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Disaster Management Centre, about SAARC’s work to improve disaster cooperation, including through a potential new rapid response mechanism.
Can you give us some background on SAARC’s disaster management framework?
At the Third SAARC Summit (Kathmandu 1987) there was deep concern about the fast and continuing degradation of the environment, including extensive destruction of forests, and the resulting natural disasters. A group of experts with members from all the SAARC countries was constituted to prepare a study on the issue. The study recommended various measures for the protection and management of the environment and strengthening of the disaster management capabilities of the state and non-state actors.
Those recommendations were endorsed by Heads of State or Government at our Sixth Summit (Colombo 1991). After the Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 2004, a Special Session was held by the SAARC Environment Ministers in Male in June 2005. They adopted the Male Declaration, which decided inter alia that an Expert Group of the member countries should meet to formulate a Comprehensive Framework on Early Warning, Disaster Management and Disaster Prevention. The Expert Group met on 7-9 February, 2006 in Dhaka and developed a SAARC Comprehensive Framework on Disaster Management for South Asia. The framework is aligned with the implementation of the Hyogo Framework of Action.
The Framework was approved by the SAARC Environment Ministers on 30 July 2006 and endorsed by the Fourteenth SAARC Summit in New Delhi in 3-4 April 2007.
The Framework provides a platform for South Asian countries to:
- Establish and strengthen the regional disaster management system to reduce risks and to improve response and recovery management at all levels
- Identify and elaborate country and regional priorities for action
- Share best practices and lessons learnt from disaster risk reduction efforts at national levels
- Establish a regional system to develop and implement regional programmes and projects for early warning
- Establish a regional system of exchanging information on prevention, preparedness and management of natural disasters
- Create a regional response mechanism dedicated to disaster preparedness, emergency relief and rehabilitation to ensure immediate response
- Create a regional mechanism to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of achievements towards goals and strategies.
How does the Disaster Management Centre fit in?
The 13th Summit of Heads of States or Governments held on 12- 13 November 2005 in Dhaka adopted the Dhaka Declaration which underscored the urgency to set up a ‘permanent regional response mechanism on disaster preparedness, emergency relief and rehabilitation’.
The Centre was set up and is now serving the member countries by providing policy advice and facilitating capacity building services including strategic learning, research, training, system development, expertise promotion and exchange of information for effective disaster risk reduction and management.
The Centre has developed a Perspective Plan for the period 2007- 15 to synchronize its activities with the SAARC Comprehensive Framework for Disaster Management.
Currently, the Centre does not function as an operational disaster management and coordination body.
What are the next steps?
At the 15th SAARC Summit (Colombo 2008) the Heads of the States/Governments declared that a Natural Disaster Rapid Response Mechanism should be created under the support of the Disaster Management Centre to adopt a coordinated and planned approach to meet disaster emergencies.
The modalities for implementation of the decision of the Summit was discussed in an Expert Group Meeting comprising representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Focal Points on disaster management in New Delhi on 5-6 February 2009. The meeting considered various models of regional response and recommended that a “voluntary response model” would be best suited in South Asia following a wide range of principles, such as the countries’ sovereignty, response only upon request, receiving countries to have overall control and direction, voluntary earmarking of assets and capacities and SOP development for regional response.
A draft agreement along these lines has been circulated to the member states. It’s likely to be signed by next year. After its signature, a disaster response division and emergency operations unit would be created within the Disaster Management Centre.
Have the IDRL Guidelines been of use to you in this process?
Yes, definitely and we would be happy to work together with IFRC during the process of developing the Natural Disaster Rapid Response Mechanism. In fact I myself have a copy of IDRL Guidelines and have met various IFRC regional representatives discussing about IDRL and how it will greatly benefit the agreement we are working on. I am looking forward to this positive cooperation.