The summer months have been filled with LACER activities and we are pleased to share some highlights in this monthly report.

ARDEX, the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise, was successfully held 1-3 August 2023 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. ARDEX 2023 was organised by BNPB, the Indonesian national disaster management organisation, and the AHA Centre, with the support of the European Union through the EU-SAHA Project and with the participation of LACER experts.

Anders Fridborg was deployed to The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (the AHA Centre) in Jakarta and recently got back after 3 months working as an expert within the framework for the LACER project, supporting ASEAN capacity development in disaster preparedness and response.

In March, we were happy to deploy LACER expert on Emergency Operations Centre Development, Anders Fridborg to Jakarta. He began integrated work with AHA Centre emergency operations staff on planning EOC exercises (EOCX). Read about this and other LACER activities in our March update.

In the beginning of February, we were all devestated by the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria. EU and ASEAN colleagues exchanged information on their respective roles in the response. The LACER Team Leader updated AHA Centre staff on the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, first following Syria’s and the World Food Programme’s requests for assistance from the UCPM, which led to nine countries offering assistance of tents, blankets and other shelter items. Thereafter, based on Türkiye’s request for assistance from the UCPM, 26 countries offered 38 search and rescue teams, medical teams and thousands of tents, blankets, heaters and other shelter items. LACER Team Leader shared the daily maps and Copernicus data produced in the wake of the earthquakes.