My last visit to Jakarta, Indonesia was eight years ago, when I joined a workshop to develop the ASEAN Joint Disaster Response Plan. This time around, my purpose for being back was different—I was there to lead the facilitation of the first ever Public-Private Partnership in Disaster Management Course as part of the AHA Centre Executive Leadership in Emergency and Disaster Management for ASEAN Programme (ACE LEDMP). The AHA Centre or the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management is the intergovernmental disaster management authority established by the ten ASEAN member states. Representing the OCHA/UNDP Connecting Business initiative (CBi), the leading UN platform for private sector engagement in disaster management, I felt very proud to collaborate with colleagues from the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), Deutsche Post AG (DHL Group), and the Office of Civil Defence of the Philippines to deliver this training.
What made this workshop special for me was how this was one of our “calls to action” during the inaugural ASEAN Disaster Resilience Forum in Singapore last August. Together with PDRF, DHL Group, and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), our request was clear: to foster collaboration with government counterparts and partners. We emphasized the need for a private sector engagement working group, the sharing of best practices, and a push for greater inclusivity by having the business community represented during policy dialogues and regional training programmes such as the ACE LEDMP.
Piloting a course on “Public-Private Partnership in Disaster Management”—A sign of change
It was truly inspiring to witness the remarkable convening power of the AHA Centre, supported by the ASEAN Secretariat, as they brought together a diverse group of 20 participants from the National Disaster Management Organizations (NDMOs) of Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The course boasted a healthy mix of gender representation, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity and diversity.
As far as I know, this is the first time that a course on public-private partnership in disaster management was designed as part of AHA Centre’s training programmes. The course aimed to promote awareness of the benefits of partnerships with the private sector in enhancing disaster management capacities. Participants had the opportunity to delve into practical examples and best practices in engaging with private sector actors, drawing from the experiences of CBi Member Networks such as PDRF, KADIN and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and multinational companies such as DHL Group. We made sure to include several facilitated discussions for all of us to explore the entry-points and challenges of private sector engagement in disaster management frameworks, gaining a deeper understanding of the motivations and mechanisms that drive such collaborations.
I gave a holistic overview of how the United Nations, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in particular, engages with the private sector when it comes to disaster management. CBi’s mission and our partners in the region were then front and center to bring to life different examples of how business is ready and able to engage in preparedness, response, and recovery.
The workshop went beyond traditional presentations, offering a full day of interactive sessions that offered valuable insights and outcomes. Some key takeaways include:
- Recognizing that while funding often initiates collaborations, true partnerships should encompass more than financial transactions. They should also involve capacity-building, skills-based support, and in-kind contributions.
- Identifying early warning systems (EWS) as a promising area for public-private collaborations in disaster management. Additionally, there was considerable interest in business support for the recovery of small enterprises post-crisis.
- Exploring avenues for sharing expertise through joint capacity-building activities, and the use of information and technology to further enhance disaster resilience and response capabilities.
What next for ASEAN when it comes to stronger public-private partnerships in disaster management?
To truly forge a more disaster resilient ONE ASEAN, we need more opportunities such as this course. Safe spaces that facilitate connections and relationship building in times of peace, allowing for governments and businesses to come together, discuss our shared ambitions and plan joint activities as the foundation for longer-term partnerships.
Having strong partners such as the AHA Center and the ASEAN Secretariat engaging in capacity building support for greater private sector engagement in disaster management is essential to raise awareness and develop the skills needed to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors.
As for CBi? We’re ready to do our part, developing capacity-building programmes and supporting private sector engagement road maps at a national and regional level. ASEAN has often been lauded as an innovator when it comes to disaster management practices, leveraging our challenges and difficult experiences to learn and do better, together. This is no different.
Whether the future holds study missions or learning exchanges between NDMOs in different countries and regions, and more, we look forward to building a more resilient future for the region and inspiring others to do the same.