Analysts say the proposal, if implemented, would strengthen anticipatory action – potentially enabling the bloc to act before a formal request from a member state is even made.
At the 35th Asean Socio-Cultural Community Council Meeting in Manila on March 5, bloc chair the Philippines led talks on the Asean Strategic Protocol for Emergency and Comprehensive Transformation (ASPECT) Framework.
“This is a strategic initiative to strengthen Asean’s disaster response and enhance regional coordination,” said Philippine social welfare secretary, Rex Gatchalian. “It will also signal our commitment to One Asean, One Response to leaving no one behind, especially sectors in vulnerable situations.”
Kamal said ASPECT was likely to complement the existing Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), a legally binding treaty formulated in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed more than 200,000 lives.
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