Australia and Indonesia Host ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief Desk-Top Exercise

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, has welcomed the hosting by Indonesia and Australia of a desk-top exercise to enhance multinational disaster relief responses in the Asia-Pacific region.

The two-day exercise commencing tomorrow aims to improve the speed and effectiveness of multinational, civil and military disaster response capabilities between the 27 participants of the ASEAN Regional Forum and will involve a range of Government agencies and regional aid bodies.

Australia’s Minister for Defence, Mr Joel Fitzgibbon, said this initiative built on the valuable contributions the Australian Defence Force has made in regional disaster relief efforts and highlights Australia’s commitment to our regional partners.

“The last few years have seen an increase in multinational responses to regional disasters - most notably the successful international effort in responding to the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. It is important that the region works together to further improve and coordinate our efforts,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“Holding the exercise in Jakarta also ensures regional countries gain maximum benefit from the lessons learned and experience of the Indonesian Government and its Armed Forces in responding to a range of natural disasters,” he said.

“The exercise is an important step in coordinating expertise from across the region and focuses a very broad bank of resources to the critical task of rendering assistance to those who need it most during a natural disaster.”

The exercise - a regional cooperation activity conducted through the ASEAN Regional Forum - is being held at the Indonesian Naval Command and Staff College in Jakarta over 1-2 May 2008.

Further information:
Jenny Dee (Counsellor Public Affairs) tel. (021) 2553 5290 mob. 0811 187 3175