ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF BWC IMPLEMENTATION - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF BWC IMPLEMENTATION

Jesus R.S. Domingo PhD Assistant Secretary for UNIO Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs 3 September 2013

ASEAN Regional Forum

‐ to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern; and in the Asia‐ Pacific region ‐ to make significant contributions to efforts towards confidence‐building and preventive diplomacy

ARF and Biosecurity

• ARF members been actively engaged in

advancing biosecurity and biosafety cooperation in the Asia‐Pacific region.

• PHL, in partnership with Australia and the United

States, organized a series of 4 ARF workshops within on the themes of a. Biological Threat Reduction, b. Biorisk Management, c. Disease Surveillance & Detection, and d. Preparedness and Response from 2009 to 2012. Submitted report to 2012 BWC MSP/MX

ARF WORKSHOP ON BIOLOGICAL THREAT REDUCTION, 10‐11 JUNE 2009, MANILA

• Pubic health sector, law enforcement, intelligence

community and academia have an important role to play in promoting biological security.

• Enhanced cooperation among stakeholders, capacity

building and funding are necessary to improve response capability to biological threats.

• Need for enhanced cooperation within the ARF on

mitigating biological threats.

ARF WORKSHOP ON BIORISK MANAGEMENT 28‐ 30 SEPT 2010, MANILA

• A “whole government approach”

is critical in improving national biorisk management.

• Importance of instilling a culture of responsibility in

industry and academic institutions.

• National biosecurity and biosafety associations have

a critical role to play.

• Major challenges to be addressed : expansion of dual

use research concern and rapid advances in synthetic biology.

• Need for synergy with other existing programs and

mechanisms

ARF WORKSHOP ON DISEASE DETECTION AND SURVEILLANCE, 13‐15 SEPT 2011, MANILA

• Inter‐agency cooperation and cross‐disciplinary

approach are important.

• National, regional and international coordination is

necessary for effectively preventing disease

• utbreaks and detecting diseases.
• Existing mechanisms for conducting disease

detection and surveillance in the Asia‐Pacific region: WHO’s IHR, APSED, GOARN; OIE’s WAHIS; FAO’s ECTAD

ARF WORKSHOP ON DISEASE DETECTION AND SURVEILLANCE 13‐15 SEPT.2011, MANILA

• Strategic Framework on Health Development (2010‐

2015) under the ASEAN Cultural Community Blueprint

• ASEAN (through ASEAN +3) is in the process of

developing terms of reference and a work plan to initiate a network of Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETP)

ARF WORKSHOP ON PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO A BIOLOGICAL EVENT, 5 ‐7 SEPT. 2012, MANILA

• It is important to enhance regional and international

coordination for preparedness and response.

• There is a need for reinforcement in physical security

and access control and a graded approach based on risk assessment.

• Senior‐level leadership is needed for an effective

inter‐agency and multi‐sectoral response to an event.

• Call on ARF to consider addressing funding, strategic

risk communication, regional information sharing and early warning and the holding of exercises focused on a biological incident

ARF ACTIVITIES FOR 2013 AND 2014

• ARF CROSS‐SECTORAL SECURITY

COOPERATION ON BIO‐PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER RESPONSE: INCEPTION PLANNING WORKSHOP, 3 TO 5 SEPT 2013, MANILA

• ARF‐WIDE WORKSHOP IN 2014

ARF CROSS‐SECTORAL SECURITY COOPERATION ON BIO‐ PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER RESPONSE: INCEPTION PLANNING WORKSHOP, 3‐5 SEPT 2013 MANILA

• Develop concrete and follow‐on activities to build

upon and implement the outcomes of the ARF BWC Workshops from 2009 to 2012.

• Develop a Roadmap for Multilateral and Cross‐

sectoral collaboration

• Consider focus areas from various work plans, ARF‐

ISM, EWG and AWGPPR.

• Initial focus areas promoting multilateral Bio‐

Preparedness and Disaster Risk Reduction Cooperation.

ARF CROSS‐SECTORAL SECURITY COOPERATION ON BIO‐ PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER RESPONSE: INCEPTION PLANNING WORKSHOP, 3‐5 SEPT 2013 MANILA

• Build upon previous ASEAN and ARF security

cooperation activities.

• Desired Outcome:

Enhance capacity for regional preparedness and generate support for developing a collective response to a biological event.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

• 2011 BWC “Superweek”

in Manila in preparation for 7th BWC Review Conference

• East Asia/Pacific Coordination in BWC Community in

Geneva

• ARF ISM on Non‐Proliferation and Disarmament,

ARF CBM Seminar on UNSCR 1540

• CSCAP and CSCAP Study Group on Countering

Proliferation of WMDs

• Global Partnership Against the Spread Weapons and

Materials of WMDs

OBSERVATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

• Need to further advance Bio as WMD concern in ARF –

Nuclear is currently emphasized.

• Within each ARF member country, need for better

coordination and synergy within and among Foreign Affairs (ASEAN, UN and Bilateral / Regional Offices),

• ther Ministries: Health, Agriculture, Defense, Justice,

etc.; private sector, academe, etc.

• Need for better inter‐state and inter‐regional / IO / UN

coordination and synergy.

• Enhance synergy between UNODA (BWC‐ISU), WHO,

OIE, FAO, UNIDIR, etc.

• Present Joint Paper in BWC MSP

Maraming Salamat Po !

Jesus “Gary” Domingo domingojs23@yahoo.com