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Strengthening International Partnerships in Emergency Management
Hi ICPEM members,
Disasters don’t respect borders, and international collaboration is often essential for effective emergency response.
What examples of successful cross-border collaboration have inspired you?
What barriers—political, logistical, or cultural—do you think stand in the way?
How can we build stronger global networks to improve disaster preparedness and response?
Feel free to share your thoughts, experiences, or examples of innovative partnerships you’ve come across. Let’s brainstorm ways to create a more united global approach to civil protection.
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Hi Mollie,
A bit late, but I found this interesting so here are a few thoughts of my own….
I find that in our increasingly interconnected world, we consistently see that our natural or man-made disasters frequently transcend national borders. But I also find that pre-existing frameworks are in place and that these are only strengthening (but doing so having to break through barriers). Also that AI and commercialised software integration is proving highly useful in disaster response.
As an example of collaboration, among Southeast Asian nations the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre) is a regional hub for disaster management. Managing the impacts of 2013 Typhoon Haiyan, to assist the Philippines the Centre coordinated responses and resource pooling from countries including Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. The Centres effectiveness stems from broadly shared protocols and standardised training, pre-positioned stockpiles etc. All useful in a dynamic event. Another example you all up there would be aware of is the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) which I believe is effective in that it enables EU and importantly also non-EU countries to request and receive coordinated assistance during disasters (think the 2021 wildfires in Greece where multiple EU member states, including France, Sweden, Cyprus deployed vital aerial firefighting resources through the UCPM). What was effective was the centralised Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) that facilitated this rapid multi-nat deployment.
But frustratingly barriers do exist, such as political barriers with sovereignty concerns, geopolitical tensions where pre-existing conflicts or mistrust can delay aid acceptance. Also standard logistical barriers via lack of standardisation and the ever-present bureaucratic delays (never ending) in transporting aid, kit or personnel across borders. As an example of how this is being circumvented, to gain international exposure the Korean National Fire Agency has undertaken Wildfire (bushfire) training in Australia. All underpinned by recognised guidelines that Australia uses to integrate and deploy with the US and Canada among other international entities (see the image link attached where they are training on heavy lift drones with compounded fire retardant fluid dispersal).
But apart from known, basic commercial impacts like Starlink and other communication elements that assist breaking barriers, a ‘ground level’ win (take them where we can get them) for the disaster response community I believe is the integration of AI in the removal of linguistic barriers due to real time translation software, all commercially available. This is a fantastic piece that is evolving rapidly to our disaster management communities benefit.