In a very first for the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ARF Voluntary Demonstration of Response (VDR) exercise will be held on 4-7 May 2009 in the Philippines. This exercise, co-sponsored by the Philippines and the United States, was announced by the Foreign Ministers of ARF’s 27 participants during the ARF Ministerial Meeting on 24 July 2008 in Singapore.
The ARF-VDR is a robust civilian-led, military supported exercise designed to demonstrate ARF national capabilities in response to an affected country's request for assistance and build regional assistance capacity for major, multinational relief operations. This is significant milestone for the ARF in its development as a regional security institution. Through this first ever field exercise, the ARF-VDR will move ARF from a forum for dialogue into one that facilitates and provides concrete, tangible contributions to regional security in transnational security issues such as disaster relief.
Using a scenario where Manila and Central Luzon are devastated by a super-typhoon, ARF participants will offer assistance to the Philippines in response to her request for international humanitarian relief. Areas of demonstration include land, air and maritime search and rescue, medical assistance/evacuation and engineering reconstruction. This first-ever ARF-VDR will also test the National Disaster Coordinating Council - United Nations Clusters Coordination mechanism in humanitarian assistance.
Over 20 participants from the Asia-Pacific region will participate in the ARF-VDR. Australia, European Union, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the USA will provide assets, personnel, and capabilities. The other ARF participants and international organisations will participate as observers in the exercise.
The media are invited to observe and report on the ARF-VDR from 4-6 May 2009 along with senior civil and military attendees from ARF participants and expert-level civil and military observers. Interested media should contact Ms Betty Lou Penera at 924-1942 (Manila), email blpenera@yahoo.com or visit http://www.pia.gov.ph/arfvdr/ for more information regarding scheduling, accreditation, and other arrangements
Source: www.asean.org
The ARF-VDR is a robust civilian-led, military supported exercise designed to demonstrate ARF national capabilities in response to an affected country's request for assistance and build regional assistance capacity for major, multinational relief operations. This is significant milestone for the ARF in its development as a regional security institution. Through this first ever field exercise, the ARF-VDR will move ARF from a forum for dialogue into one that facilitates and provides concrete, tangible contributions to regional security in transnational security issues such as disaster relief.
Using a scenario where Manila and Central Luzon are devastated by a super-typhoon, ARF participants will offer assistance to the Philippines in response to her request for international humanitarian relief. Areas of demonstration include land, air and maritime search and rescue, medical assistance/evacuation and engineering reconstruction. This first-ever ARF-VDR will also test the National Disaster Coordinating Council - United Nations Clusters Coordination mechanism in humanitarian assistance.
Over 20 participants from the Asia-Pacific region will participate in the ARF-VDR. Australia, European Union, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the USA will provide assets, personnel, and capabilities. The other ARF participants and international organisations will participate as observers in the exercise.
The media are invited to observe and report on the ARF-VDR from 4-6 May 2009 along with senior civil and military attendees from ARF participants and expert-level civil and military observers. Interested media should contact Ms Betty Lou Penera at 924-1942 (Manila), email blpenera@yahoo.com or visit http://www.pia.gov.ph/arfvdr/ for more information regarding scheduling, accreditation, and other arrangements
Source: www.asean.org
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