BERAKAS, Thursday 1 December 2016 – Officers from the Ministry of Defence and Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) participated in the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise 2016 (ARDEX-16) that concluded today in a closing ceremony at the International Convention Centre (ICC).
The three-day exercise, which saw the involvement of over 150 local and international participants, was jointly organised by Brunei Darussalam through the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) and ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre).
ARDEX is a large-scale simulation exercise that aims to test the regional mechanism and enhance interoperability in dealing with disasters as well as provide an opportunity to practice, evaluate and review the ASEAN Standby Arrangements and Standard Operating Procedures (SASOP).
As a region prone to natural disasters, both disaster preparedness and disaster response has provided the opportunity for countries, communities, militaries and non-governmental organisations to come together. In particular, regional militaries have over the years seen a more enhanced role in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations given its capability in providing quick responses, especially in the initial stages of disaster relief as well as search and rescue operations.
An important contribution of the ASEAN defence sectoral towards the wider efforts in sharpening disaster preparedness and responses is the Chapter VI of SASOP on Facilitation and Utilisation of Military Assets and Capacities that has been submitted to the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), which was also tested during ARDEX-16.
Present at the closing ceremony was the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs, Haji Idris bin Haji Mohd Ali. Also present were Executive Director of AHA Centre, Said Faisal; Heads of Departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs and senior government officials.