IASC REGIONAL Network for Asia-pacific
Emergency Preparedness Working Group
Draft Summary Meeting Record
20 March 2017 – WFP Office (Wave Place)
I. Meeting Agenda
· Briefing on Rapid Response Approach to Natural Disaster in Asia-Pacific and Current Roll Out – Sebastian Rhodes Stampa
· Briefing on Preparedness in Indonesia – Samantha Orr and Stewart Davies
· Follow-Up from the Regional Grand Bargain Meeting – Daniel Gilman
· Discussion on Other Preparedness Activities in 2017 – Sebastian Rhodes Stampa
· AOB – Sebastian Rhodes Stampa
II. Briefing on Rapid Response Approach to Natural Disaster in Asia-Pacific and Current Roll Out
After a brief welcome and opening remarks by David Kaatrud, WFP’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, Deputy Head of OCHA ROAP, presented the methodology that OCHA is developing in collaboration with partners to adapt the ERP and HPC to Asia-Pacific. The RAPID concept note is attached. “Light” versions of the RAPID approach were ongoing in DPRK, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam. The full roll-out of the RAPID approach has been initiated in Indonesia, and will shortly start in Bangladesh and the Philippines. However, RAPID remained a work in progress and OCHA looked forward to receiving feedback and suggestions on how to improve the approach and further integrate existing tools and initiatives into this work.
III. Briefing on Preparedness in Indonesia
Background
The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) commissioned an Emergency Response Preparedness Report in 2016 to better understand the current operating context (the humanitarian community’s last contingency plan for Indonesia was from 2011), given Indonesia’s stance that national capacity is sufficient to almost any scale of disaster. This was based on Indonesia, as a Middle Income Country, having the financial, physical and human resources to effectively respond through strengthened ministries, a highly engaged civil society, and a multitude of national NGOs, in addition to the changing role of ASEAN and non-traditional partners.
The ERP report found that while some issues remain (including linguistic/cultural differences, different perceptions of preparedness), there has been ongoing work to address many of these challenges. For example, there has been recent effort to align the international and national coordination architectures, which was recently tested during the INSARAG Regional Asia Pacific Exercise in 2015. The report also laid the ground-work for agreement on a classification of disasters that the country could face and the relatively likeliness of international assistance being requested under each class.
RAPID Rollout
As a result of the report the HCT decided to undertake a contingency planning exercise in 2017, using the RAPID approach. To lead this process, a Contingency Planning Working Group[1] (CPWG) was established in January 2017. The Working Group agreed to rollout a plan that is light but with clear and concise outcomes.
From 13 to 14 March, a 1.5 day workshop was convened to kick start the RAPID process, building on the initial work by the CPWG. Attended by HCT members, government ministries and other technical partners, the workshop focused on the first two phases of the RAPID approach — the Disaster Impact Model (DIM) and Needs Analysis. The workshop was followed by a half-day technical session on community engagement.
An initial draft DIM developed by DM Innovation, using InaSAFE[2] software, and supported by OCHA was presented at the workshop. Based on the National Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG)’s modeling of the Batavia earthquake (1699) this featured an 8.0 magnitude earthquake with no tsunami, impacting Java and Sumatra. Two scenarios were developed: one with an epicentre in the Sunda Strait and the other in Bogor.
Workshop participants considered the DIM and, in its context, discussed what Key Immediate Needs (KIN) the affected population would have. To support this, an illustrative pre-crisis community perception survey based on a new regional template was administered, with discussions focused on how to adapt this for the local context.
The technical session looked specifically at what networks, partners, and existing information were available to support community engagement, as well as to identify roles and responsibilities and obtain agreement on the technical aspects of conducting a pre-crisis survey.
In follow-up to the workshop, the CPWG will develop a report and technical note on recommendations to be shared with the Government. Among the workshop recommendations:
1. The draft DIM scenario should be revised to a more useable planning scenario for a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, to bring it in line with the Indonesia Emergency Response Preparedness Report (2016)’s agreed Category B classification (i.e. Government still has capacity to respond);
2. An additional meeting is needed to agree on the vulnerability datasets to be used in developing the KIN analysis (i.e. to be overlaid on the scenario to understand who of those affected are most vulnerable, where they are and – as a result – how many people are likely to be in need of assistance); thereafter the clusters in Indonesia should build on initial discussions by undertaking a detailed KIN mapping (adapting the Nepal templates);
3. For community engagement, the CPWG should conduct a detailed mapping exercise (3W) on existing community engagement activities in the geographical area used by the scenario to inform the preparation of the pre-crisis community perception survey. UNICEF, supported by OCHA ROAP, will meanwhile develop a concept note for the pre-crisis community perception survey.
4. Once recommendations 1-3 have been completed, the CPWG should be in a position to review and finalize the KIN analysis for Indonesia.
The next phase of the RAPID process (Response Capacity Analysis), will focus on mapping the current capacity of partners in order to develop a joint understanding as to the comparative advantage of the international community in delivering against the agreed KIN analysis. This phase of work will culminate in a second workshop tentatively scheduled for late July.
IV. Follow-Up from the Regional Grand Bargain Meeting
The Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue on the Grand Bargain was held on 28 February with 47 participants from donor governments and IASC Regional Network members, as well as the Governments of Indonesia, Myanmar and Nepal. The meeting focused on four operational elements prioritized under the Grand Bargain (out of 10 total commitments), including Cash-based Programming, Joint Needs Assessment, Local and National Responders, and the Participation Revolution. The draft report for the event, on which comments are welcome, was shared to participants on 24 March for comment. Once comments are received, the report will be put to the IASC Regional Network Directors and Regional Humanitarian Partnerships Forum for follow-up on recommendations. The report will be widely disseminated when final.
In the discussion on the Grand Bargain Regional Dialogue, EPWG members noted that the Regional Dialogue had spurred the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) Working Group to look at what member agencies are doing in the four operational areas and specifically in the Asia-Pacific region. The GiHA developed key messages for the event that will continue to be used moving forward. The amount of attention garnered by the event was also noted, in counterpoint to the lack of concrete follow-up action at global level. Only 9 of the 50+ signatory agencies met the first reporting deadline under the Grant Bargain. It was also suggested that the Grand Bargain was developed to focus more on complex emergencies and protracted crises than natural disasters; however, Asia-Pacific had indicated how it should be implemented in this context.
V. EPWG Chairing Arrangements and Discussions on Other Preparedness Activities in 2017
OCHA proposed to broaden the current EPWG chairing arrangements to be more participatory and representative of its membership by forming a troika of OCHA, WFP and an NGO as chairs. The GiHA Working Group had adopted a similar arrangement, which was working well. This was generally agreed and ICVA was asked to recommend which NGO will be the third member of the chairing arrangement.
On other preparedness activities in 2017, OCHA will circulate a matrix for EPWG members to fill, outlining ongoing preparedness activities and identifying strategic activities of interest to the wider EPWG membership. This should help to maximize the efficiency of members’ work at the country level, and would provide a basis for discussion at subsequent EPWG meetings.
It was also agreed that the EPWG ToRs should be revised to align to what members want from the group, including with regard to frequency of meetings (at least quarterly). OCHA suggested that meetings should be light and focus on one country or key issue per meeting, but is open to other suggestions.
Action Points
· ICVA to identify an NGO co-chair for the EPWG.
· The EPWG chairs to initiate revision of the EPWG ToRs and circulate for members’ review.
· The EPWG chairs to circulate a matrix of preparedness activities and key events in 2017 for members’ inputs.
The next meeting of the EPWG is expected to be held in early June.
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Annex I – Participant List
Name / Title / Organization / Phone/Skype Contact / EmailMaria Holtsberg / Specialist, Gender in Disaster Risk Reduction / ADPC / Office: +66-2-298 0682
Mobile: +66-83-242 0289
Skype: maria.holtsberg /
Emmanuel Lan Chun Yang / Regional Humanitarian Coordinator Asia-Pacific / CARE International / Mobile : + 66-90-802 6240
Skype: lcyemman /
Andrew Sobey / Field Programme Officer / CSG/Regional Project Management, FAO RAP / Office: +66-2-697 4339 /
Jerome Imstepf / Deputy Head of Regional Delegation / ICRC Regional Delegation / Office: +66-2-262 1680 /
Jeremy Wellard / Regional Representative for Asia / ICVA / Mobile: +66-92-509 6442
Skype jeremywellard /
Andrew Lind / Regional Emergency and Post Crisis Specialist / IOM Regional Office for Asia & the Pacific / Office: +66-2-343 9462
Mobile: +66-61-402 7877
Skype: andrewlind1 /
Katie Hau / Senior Programme Officer / Mercy Corps – South and East Asia / Office: +44-131-662 2370
Mobile: +44-78250 27029
Skype: katie_hau /
Paolo Lubrano / Regional Humanitarian Manager – Asia / Oxfam International / Mobile:+66-92-254 6900
Skype: plubrano.oxfam /
Sebastien Latouille / Delegate for Asia Pacific / TSF / Mobile: +66-84-539 2103 /
Priya Marwah / UNFPA
Peter Kozelets / UNHCR eCentre Coordinator / UNHCR / Office: +66-2-342 3532 /
Rekha Shrestha / Emergency Specialist (Preparedness/DRR) / UNICEF East Asia & Pacific Regional Office / Mobile: +66-63-219 0508 /
Andy McElroy / Programme Officer / UNISDR / Office: +66-2-288 2747 /
Sebastian Rhodes Stampa / Deputy Head of Office / UNOCHA ROAP / Office: +66-2-288 2424
Mobile: +66-89-204 2721 /
Samantha Orr / Humanitarian Affairs Officer / UNOCHA ROAP / Office +66-2-288 2687
Mobile: +66-80-611 1400 /
Daniel Gilman / Humanitarian Affairs Officer / UNOCHA ROAP / Office: +66-2-288 2426
Mobile: +66-91-575 7499 /
Stewart Davies / Humanitarian Affairs Officer / UNOCHA ROAP / Office: +66-2-288 2685
Mobile: +66-81 932 8073 /
Marie Sophie Sandberg Pettersson / Humanitarian/Disaster Risk Reduction and Coordination Analyst / UNWOMEN / Office: +66-2-288 2586
Mobile:+66-95-361 0076 /
Daniel Adriaens / Head, Emergency Preparedness & Response / WFP Indonesia
Geoffrey Pinnock / Head, Regional Emergencies Unit / WFP Regional Bureau for Asia-Pacific / Office: +66-2-655 4115
Mobile:+66-81-923 2162 /
David Kaatrud / Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific / WFP Regional Bureau for Asia-Pacific / Office: +66-2-655 4115 /
Siemon Hollema / Senior Programme and Policy Adviser / WFP Regional Bureau for Asia-Pacific / Mobile: +66-84-555 8991
Skype: siemonhollema /
Ralph Ofuyo / Programme Policy Officer / WFP Regional Bureau for Asia-Pacific / Mobile: +66-81-913 2745
Skype: rofuyo /
Tinda Bex / Logistics Officer / WFP Regional Bureau for Asia-Pacific / Mobile: +66-86-897 2180 /
Meimei Leung / Humanitarian Emergency Affairs Director / World Vision International, East Asia Region / Office: +852-2309 6146
Mobile: +852-9327 5674 /
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[1] The CPWG is co-chaired by OCHA Jakarta and the AHA Centre with membership, at an operational level, of member agencies of the Humanitarian Country Team, Government, other technical parties providing input and advice as required.
[2] InaSAFE is free software that produces realistic natural hazard impact scenarios for better planning, preparedness and response activities. It was originally developed in Indonesia through a partnership between BNPB, the Australian Government and the World Bank Global Fund for DRR.