From 13-17 January 2025, the AHA Centre in collaboration with the Thailand Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation (DDPM) co-organised a training in Bangkok, Thailand, focused on enhancing humanitarian logistics management and Customs, Immigration, & Quarantine (CIQ) procedures for disaster preparedness and response.
Attended by 34 participants from the ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Secretariat, and AHA Centre, the training is a vital component of the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA).
Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on logistics management, CIQ procedures, and best practices aimed at streamlining emergency operations and improving coordination. Facilitators and Resource Persons from the DDPM, Thailand Customs Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence Thailand, AHA Centre, HELP Logistics, IMPortation and Customs Clearance Together (IMPACCT) Working Group Global Logistics Cluster, World Food Programme (WFP), and DHL Group shared their expertise and knowledge on humanitarian logistics and various CIQ procedures, particularly in Thailand.
In the opening ceremony, Executive Director of the AHA Centre Mr. Lee Yam Ming emphasised the critical role of Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) processes in ensuring effective disaster response operations, hence the importance of this training.
“Drawing from important lessons from important lessons learned, especially those from the Tropical Cyclone YAGI, we aim to resolve critical issues, streamline procedures, and increase awareness of the complexities involved,” he added.
Representative from the Mission of Japan to ASEAN, Mr. MORI Nobuo, further highlighted the commitment of collaboration between ASEAN and Japan to enhance ASEAN’s capacity in disaster management through projects such as DELSA. The DELSA Phase IV Project, supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), continues to foster partnerships and knowledge sharing to enhance humanitarian response efforts across the region.
This event is made possible by the support of the Government of Japan, European Commission, Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), and HELP Logistics.
The Humanitarian Logistics Management & Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) Procedures Training marks another crucial step towards increasing the effectiveness of ASEAN’s humanitarian response through the envisioned speed, scale, and solidarity of One ASEAN, One Response.
Written by: Sarrah Yulianti, Gladys Respati
