The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region is one of the world’s most disaster-prone areas. Almost all types of natural hazards are present, including typhoons, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, forest fires, and epidemics that threaten life and property, as well as droughts that leave serious lingering effects. The region has suffered some of the most violent natural disasters in recent history, with recent decades showing hazards to be more intense, more frequent, and unpredictable, resulting in significant loss of lives and extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods.

From 2004 to 2014, more than 50% of global disaster mortalities occurred in the ASEAN region. The general population in the target countries suffers the most from these disasters in terms of human lives lost, displacement, and loss of livelihood. ASEAN, as an intergovernmental organisation, has made significant efforts in responding to the multifaceted challenges caused by disasters in social, economic, political, and security domains, both within and from outside the region.

The intervention is funded under the European Union’s (EU) Financing Decision ‘Integrated Programme in Enhancing the Capacity of ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) and ASEAN Emergency Response Mechanisms’ (EU Support to AHA Centre)’. It aims to contribute to the goal of the Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) by achieving a substantial reduction of disaster losses in lives and in the economic, social, physical, and environmental assets of ASEAN Member States (AMS), and by jointly responding to disaster emergencies through concerted national efforts and intensified regional and international cooperation.

The ‘EU Support to AHA Centre’ Programme comprises two interrelated components, each corresponding to one of the Programme’s specific objectives: (i) Strengthened capacity and sustainability of AHA Centre to achieve operational excellence in disaster monitoring and emergency response, in line with the AHA Centre Strategic Work Plan 2020, and (ii) Enhanced mechanisms for ASEAN Leadership to Respond-As-One, through excellence and innovation in disaster management.

The Intervention aims to strengthen resilience in the ASEAN region through improved disaster risk management.

The Intervention is implemented through a Grant Contract awarded to a consortium led by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) and also comprising the Estonian Rescue Board.