Regional Consultative Group on Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination for Asia and the Pacific (10th Session, 3-5 December 2024): Summary report

The RCG 10th Session was held in Phuket, Thailand from 3-5 December 2024. The timing and location coincided with the 20 years remembrance of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. The 10th session welcome over 80 participants from 22 countries and 45 organizations from government departments, military, humanitarian sector and the private sector from Asia, the Pacific and beyond.
The RCG 10th session was organized with the support of the RCG Co-Secretariat, represented by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), the Australian Civil-Military Centre (ACMC) and the United States Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DM).
The RCG 10th Session was opened with the presence and opening remarks from Mr. Jesuino Dos Reis De Matos Carvalho, Presidente of Timor-Leste’s Civil Protection Authority, Ms. Nicola Rosenblum, Executive Director of ACMC, Mr. Steve Castonguay, Deputy Director of CFE-DM, and Ms. Sarah Muscroft, Chief of UNOCHA’s Response Support Branch. All opening remarks recognized significant advancements in disaster response preparedness and management over the past two decades and emphasized the collaborative approach to civil-military coordination in Asia and the Pacific.
The RCG 10th Session featured 33 presentations, covering ranges of themes, topics and country-based presentations. This included Humanitarian Action at Sea, Climate Crisis, Military HADR and Protection, Re-thinking Security - the role of Police in Disaster Response, and Collaboration in Trainings and Exercises. The session included also four breakout groups discussing and focusing on related issues in Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia and the Philippines; and a presentation from Fiji.
This summary captures the highlights, insights, and key points from the presentations and discussions at the RCG 10th Session.