REPORT
ASEAN DEFENCE MINISTERS’ MEETING PLUS EXPERTS’ WORKING GROUP ON HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER RELIEF
FINAL PLANNING CONFERENCE Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 10-11 April 2019
INTRODUCTION
1. The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus Experts’ Working Group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Final Planning Conference (ADMM- Plus EWG on HADR FPC) was held on 10-11 April 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The FPC was co-chaired by Lieutenant Colonel Norhayati binti Hasan, Director of Civil-Military Coordination J5, Royal Malaysian Armed Forces Joint Forces Headquarters (RMAF JFHQ) and Ms. Jennifer Smoak, from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense of the United States. All ADMM-Plus countries attended the FPC. Representatives from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), the Military Representative to the AHA Centre for the ASEAN Militaries Ready Group (AMRG) on HADR, the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine (ACMM) as well as the ASEAN Secretariat were also present. The List of Delegates appears as ANNEX 1.
AGENDA ITEM 2: OPENING REMARKS BY CO-CHAIRS
2. In his Opening Remarks, First Admiral Chan Peng Cheong, Assistant Chief of Staff J7, Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) Joint Forces Headquarters (JFHQ) welcomed all delegates to the FPC. Noting the continued commitment from all ADMM-Plus countries, he encouraged the participants to share their ideas and actively contribute so as to make an impact on the FPC and the upcoming Staff Exercise/Communications Exercise (STAFFEX/COMMEX). FAdm. Chan also emphasised that the Exercise should serve the purpose of testing the coordination mechanism of the AMRG on HADR to allow its full and effective operationalisation.
He also stressed that communication would be essential throughout the Exercise and in real-life for a more coordinated disaster response. FAdm. Chan expressed his
hope that the ADMM-Plus countries would continue to cooperate in collaborative manner.
3. In her Opening Remarks, Ms. Smoak expressed her appreciation towards Malaysia for their collaboration in the three years of co-chairmanship. She believed that the team work and current progress had made the ADMM-Plus EWG on HADR stood out among other EWGs. She underscored that the STAFFEX/COMMEX had been designed to be as realistic as possible, where the ADMM-Plus militaries would train like they would operate in real life. In this regard, the civil-military component will be fully integrated, taking into account that defence sector response will not operate in vacuum but in collaboration with the civilian stakeholders. Ms. Smoak observed that the STAFFEX/COMMEX may be ambitious by its design and objectives but she was confident that its successful conduct would significantly contribute to the implementation of One ASEAN, One Response Declaration. Her Opening Remarks appears as ANNEX 3.
AGENDA ITEM 3: STAFFEX/COMMEX CONCEPT BRIEF
4. The United States Co-Chair briefed the FPC on the upcoming STAFFEX/COMMEX. The FPC noted that the activity would be composed of two types of exercise, namely (i) STAFFEX, which targeted decision-makers and key support staff to plan for crisis response and/or train personnel for response; and (ii) COMMEX which tested real-world communication and information-sharing network.
Communication, is key in this exercise since the testing will be performed from multiple locations in the capitals of the ADMM-Plus countries. In terms of timeframe and exercise phase, STAFFEX/COMMEX have been arranged in the following order:
a. D-Day, 29 July 2019: Earthquake and tsunami hitting Mentawai area;
b. D+1, 30 July 2019: Final Pre-Exercise Preparation Phase, which includes control group communications checks, participant organisation communications check, scenario brief, and mini exercise. On this day, activities are essentially aimed towards familiarising participants with the running of the Exercise and to ensure the systems in all different locations are working.
c. D+2, 31 July 2019: Pre-deployment Phase, which covers initial crisis events to force deployment. The FPC noted that this Phase would be the time to get the simulated international assistance organised, normally within 48 hours since the disaster hit.
d. D+3, 1 August 2019: Deployed Operations Phase, which focuses on actions with organisations deployed in response to the disaster. Based on
the scenario, the Multi-National Coordination Centre (MNCC) would already be set up at this point to coordinate the assisting forces.
5. The FPC further discussed the regional framework, which observed the Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operation (SASOP).
The FPC identified the four groups of stakeholders, namely the ASEAN Affected State, the ASEAN Assisting States, the non-ASEAN Assisting States and the humanitarian community, as well as the five levels of operations, namely international, regional, national, provincial and local. During the discussion, the FPC took note of the following:
a. All organisations were encouraged to participate, either through direct involvement or by simulation, with the view to validate the effectiveness of mechanisms and procedures;
b. The AHA Centre would take the lead in facilitating international assistance, under which both the AMRG on HADR and the United Nations (UN) system operated. In real-life crisis situation, it was also noted that the AHA Centre would be operational with extended hours;
c. In the ASEAN region, the Joint Operation and Coordination Centre for ASEAN (JOCCA) would also be home for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC). The JOCCA, would be the base for the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT), supported accordingly by the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC);
d. The MNCC would be established in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia but under Indonesia’s leadership as the Exercise will simulate an Indonesia-based scenario and operated within the Western Indonesia Time. For the Exercise purpose, Malaysia informed that the set-up of the MNCC could start one week prior to the D-Day; and
e. The Military Representative to the AHA Centre for the AMRG on HADR would remain Jakarta-based per real-life situation;
6. The FPC noted that an After-Action Review (AAR) would follow shortly after the conclusion of STAFFEX/COMMEX. The AAR would then be refined and presented in the form of final exercise report to the 15th ADMM-Plus EWG on HADR to be held tentatively on 30 September to 4 October 2019. The briefing appears as ANNEX 4.
AGENDA ITEM 4: PRESENTATIONS
4.1. AHA Centre and ASEAN Response Mechanisms
7. The AHA Centre briefed the FPC on the Centre’s overall cooperation and coordination support, and more specifically, the assistance provided in response to the earthquake and tsunami that hit Palu, Indonesia in September 2018. The FPC noted that the AHA Centre established three levels of coordination namely: (i) Strategic level (based in Jakarta); (ii) Operational level (based in Jakarta); and (iii) Field level (based in Balikpapan and Palu). In Jakarta, the AHA Centre facilitated offers of assistance, among others. In Balikpapan, the AHA Centre worked with the customs, immigration and airport authorities. In Palu, the AHA Centre served, among others, as an information hub, and was part of the Joint Operations and Coordination Centre for International Assistance (JOCCIA).
8. The FPC was pleased to note the way ahead in improving the capacity of the AHA Centre. There will be two satellite warehouses of the Disaster Emergency Logistic System for ASEAN (DELSA), to complement the existing stockpile in Subang, Malaysia. The FPC also learnt of the current resource pool of ERAT, which serves as a regional rapid response team, deployable within 24 hours for 10-14 days in support of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NDMO). The ASEAN- ERAT members hail from all ASEAN Member States, the AHA Centre and the ASEAN Secretariat, and have different sectoral background such as health, social welfare, and defence. In the past 10 year, the ASEAN-ERAT has been deployed to 25 missions in seven ASEAN Member States. The briefing appears as ANNEX 5.
4.2. AMRG on HADR Update
9. The FPC received updates from Malaysia on the recent development of the AMRG on HADR. The FPC noted that the draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the AMRG on HADR was tested at the ADMM-Plus EWG on HADR TTX in July 2018, following which an AAR was conducted to prepare a set of recommendations for the refinement of the draft. The recommendations were thereafter incorporated, where applicable, during another updating exercise of the draft SOP at the 4th Meeting AMRG on HADR in September 2018. The refined draft was recently introduced to the ADMM-Plus countries at the 14th ADMM-Plus EWG on HADR in March 2019. The FPC noted that the latest version of the draft SOP now integrated the ACMM into the coordination mechanism of the AMRG on HADR, at two levels, as follows: (i) at the strategic level, a coordinating officer (CO) will work alongside the Military Representative, at the AHA Centre; (ii) at the Operational Level, the ACMM will deploy both CO and the ASEAN Military Medicine Assessment Team (AMMAT) to join the MNCC. The FPC was informed that upon multiple testing,
the AMRG on HADR SOP would be tabled for adoption in 2020. The briefing appears as ANNEX 6.
4.3. Disaster Communications Network
10. The FPC noted that the data call would be conducted on 12-26 April 2019 to identify, among others, the platforms to be used in the communication, both real and simulated, as well as requirements and individual accounts. The FPC also noted that while the network would consist of various national systems, STAFFEX/COMMEX would heavily rely on the UNOCHA virtual OSOCC. The virtual OSOCC will correlate all the different decision-making processes and facilitate information exchanges, but once the decision is made internally, all participating ADMM-Plus countries should place it back to the virtual OSOCC for follow-on actions.
4.4. ASEAN Center of Military Medicine
11. The FPC noted that the ACMM participated in the recent ADMM-Plus Military Medicine Field Training Exercise, the “MEDEX 2019” in Lucknow, India, in March 2019. It was also noted that the ACMM thoroughly observed the SASOP, but for exercise purpose, the Center only simulated Stage VII (Direction and Control of Assistance) at the MEDEX 2019. The interaction between the ACMM and the MNCC was facilitated by the Indian Liaison Officer (LO) attached to the ACMM.
12. For STAFFEX/COMMEX, the FPC viewed the importance to integrate the AMMC during the upcoming Exercise, i.e. how the Center coordinated with the AHA Centre and the AMRG on HADR at all applicable levels including in the MNCC.
Towards this end, the Co-Chairs would further discuss the suitable role of the ACMM at STAFFEX/COMMEX in a visit to Bangkok. The briefing appears as ANNEX 7.
AGENDA ITEM 5: OUTBRIEF
5.1. Framework of FPC Deliverables 13. The FPC noted the following target outputs:
a. Pre-Exercise Preparation: Development of Exercise Handbook, Observer/Controller Plan, Engagement Plan, Communications Plan, and Invitations;
b. Exercise Control Group: Manning Document, Reference List, and Exercise Schedule;
c. Information and Communications Group: Communication Architecture, Testing Plan, and Communications Annex (to the Exercise Handbook)
d. AAR Group: AAR Report Format, and Synchronisation with Observer/Controller;
e. Control Plan: Storyboard, Vignettes, Scenario Document, Event List, and Control Plan;
f. Support Plan: Venue Requirements, Reception Plan, Transportation Plan, Meal Plan, and Public Affairs Plan; and
g. Distinguished Visitors Plan: Opening Ceremony Plan, Closing Ceremony Plan and Protocol Plan.
14. The briefing appears as ANNEX 8.
5.2. STAFFEX Working Group
15. The FPC updated the Manning Document, identifying personnel to be deployed as: (i) National Focal Point; (ii) Focal Point from the military headquarters, and; (iii) Member of the Kuala Lumpur-based MNCC. All 18 ADMM-Plus countries have indicated their representatives, particularly the organisations to be involved, but will have to finalise the individual points of contact.
16. The FPC also discussed at length the organisation and manning of the MNCC. At the outset, it was reiterated that while based in Malaysia, the MNCC would be under Indonesia’s leadership and staffed by military LOs from all ADMM- Plus countries, given that it will simulate a disaster in Indonesia. Indonesia added that, based on their civilian-led disaster management, there would be another coordination centre identified as the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) under its NDMO, the BNPB in Jakarta. It was clarified that: (i) the MAC is internal in nature, coordinating all relevant line ministries in Indonesia, and; (ii) The decision-making at MAC in Jakarta should not disrupt the testing of the AMRG on HADR SOP which would be concentrated at the MNCC in Kuala Lumpur.
17. The FPC referred to the MNCC SOP, adopted by the 11th ADMM, and made decisions on the group and team to be set up and the human resources to staff the set up groups and teams. The FPC was of the view that STAFFEX/COMMEX should remain focused on the agreed objectives and the organisation of the MNCC is subject to the requirement of the affected state. In addition, the role of Indonesia as coordinator in the different teams could be simulated by other militaries, for learning purposes. In this regard, the FPC concurred on the organisation and manning of the FPC for upcoming STAFFEX/COMMEX as follows:
Groups Teams Manning
Executive Indonesia
Groups Teams Manning
Operations
Coordination Team Indonesia and Singapore Request for Assistance Team Singapore and United States Information and Knowledge
Management (IM/KM) Malaysia and New Zealand Common Operating Picture (COP)
Team Philippines and the Republic
of Korea (ROK) Strategic Communications and
Public Affair (SC/PA) Malaysia and the Philippines
Support
Logistics Team Brunei Darussalam and
Indonesia
Engineering Team Malaysia and Thailand
Movements Team Malaysia and Singapore
Medical Team Indonesia and Thailand
Communications Team Not required MNCC Support Team Not required
Planning Not required
Liaison
Civil-Military Engagement Indonesia
Military-Military Engagement Remaining ADMM-Plus countries
Other
Teams Not required
18. The briefing appears as ANNEX 9.
5.3. AAR Working Group
19. The FPC noted that there would be three types of on-line individual evaluation as follows:
a. Pre-Exercise: To examine the familiarity of participants with the reference documents;
b. Mid-Exercise: To examine the running of STAFFEX/COMMEX;
c. Post-Exercise: To examine whether STAFFEX/COMMEX serves its intended purposes.
20. In addition, each Group will share their observation. These individual and groups evaluations will be combined when formulating the AAR. The FPC noted that the AAR would be also shared with the incoming Co-Chairs of the ADMM-Plus EWG
on HADR for the 2020-2023 cycle, namely, Indonesia and India. The briefing appears as ANNEX 10.
5.4. Exercise Support Group
21. The FPC noted that the Exercise Support Group was able to:
a. Confirm the venue for the STAFFEX/COMMEX, that is the MAF JFHQ;
b. Further develop the exercise products, including the Life Support Plan (covering transportation, lodging and meal, event security and administrative matters) and the Social Plan;
c. Finalise the MNCC Battle Rhythm, and;
d. Finalise the Pre-Exercise Preparation Plan and the Exercise Plan.
22. The briefing appears as ANNEX 11.
5.5. COMMEX Working Group
23. The Working Group discussed the following: (i) Communications architecture requirements; (ii) Verification of platforms and methods used; (iii) The importance of Communications Annex to the Exercise Handbook; (iii) Physical requirements for the establishment of the MNCC (computers, Wi-Fi, telephones with international dialling, projectors, networked printer); (iv) Requirements and structure for the data call; (v) The procedures and protocols for the required communications checks; (vi) Knowledge management principles and the need for structured naming conventions to support the exercise and AAR; and (vii) Requirements for "EXERCISE" markings and use during phone conversation. The briefing appears as ANNEX 12.
5.6. Final Outbrief
24. The FPC welcomed the notable progress made by the different Working Groups in preparation for STAFFEX/COMMEX, with all key requirements for the Exercise had now been identified. It was clarified that apart from the AMRG on HADR SOP, there would be two associated SOPs to be tested, namely for the MNCC and the ACMM. The FPC noted that further development was necessary for a number of exercise products. It was stressed that the EWG should work on the SC/PA, which was considered key in highlighting the success of STAFFEX/COMMEX. In the same vein, Malaysia also added that they were considering inviting senior officers to grace the upcoming Exercise.
AGENDA ITEM 6: CLOSING REMARKS
25. In his Closing Remarks, Major General Abdul Malik bin Jiran, Assistant Chief of Staff J3, MAF JFHQ commended the fruitful conclusion of the FPC, with more outputs as well as valuable inputs for COMMEX/STAFFEX. Maj. Gen Abdul Malik reiterated that the successful Exercise and a meaningful AAR would contribute to the development of the AMRG on HADR SOP and its implementation thereafter. Maj.
Gen Abdul Malik also commended all ADMM-Plus countries for their professionalism in progressing with preparation. He reiterated that Malaysia would stand ready to render their full support, and looked forward to the STAFFEX/COMMEX. His Closing Remarks appear as in ANNEX 13.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
26. The FPC expressed gratitude and appreciation to the Co-Chairs for the effective leadership and the excellent arrangements made for the FPC. The FPC also commended the frank discussion and active participation of all the ASEAN Member States, Plus countries and the ASEAN Secretariat as well as the humanitarian community that contributed to the successful conduct the FPC.
ISSUES TO BE FOLLOWED UP
No. Key Decision/Issues Timeline Follow-up By 1. Further development of exercise products,
including SC/PA Plan Immediate Co-Chairs
2. Preparation for Engagement Events and
Information/Communication Checks Immediate
Co-Chairs and ADMM- Plus countries 3. Preparation for Data Call Immediate
Co-Chairs and ADMM- Plus countries
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