2. Goal and Objectives. The overarching goal of the exercise is to:

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1 20 May 2010 Southeast Asia Regional Multisectoral Pandemic Preparedness and Response Table Top Exercise: Managing the Impact of Pandemics on Societies, Governments and Organizations Overview. This concept paper describes the proposed Southeast Asia Regional Multisectoral Pandemic Preparedness and Response Table Top Exercise (PPR TTX). The information provided herein is intended to solicit support and participation by ASEAN Member States in this exercise. This proposal covers: 1-background and purpose; 2-draft goal and objectives; 3- report of exercise results; 4-exercise construct (design); 5-draft timeline and planning cycle; 6-desired participation; 7-sponsorship and hosting arrangements; and 8-funding for participants. 1. Background and Purpose. The genesis for this proposed event was a workshop conducted by the Armed Forces of Indonesia (TNI) and other regional militaries with representatives from the UN and other humanitarian organizations under the banner of the Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT) Program. The workshop was conducted in Bali, Indonesia in July 2008 and focused on humanitarian responses by militaries to a region-wide epidemic of Influenza caused by a novel virus. The event prompted the discussion of a follow-on event that was focused on ASEAN nations and with leading participation by civil authorities, the ASEAN Secretariat and key humanitarian responders. After further consultations with the Technical Working Group on Pandemic Preparedness and Response (TWG PPR), a first concept note of such an exercise was disseminated to the TWG PPR focal points of all ASEAN Member States (AMS), asking for feedback and eventually endorsement to go ahead with planning for the exercise. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has agreed to provide significant funding for this exercise to be supported in planning and execution by the MPAT Secretariat as an implementing partner with the Regional Office of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in concert with the TWG PPR of the ASEAN Secretariat. The Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) has also agreed to provide support for planning, providing facilitators, and significant additional funding. 1

2 This event is in line with the objective to promote multi-sectoral operational continuity and contingency planning for pandemics under the ASEAN Work Plan on PPR 2008, and with the thrust of ASEAN to further develop capacity building activities in business continuity planning (BCP) for PPR and to conduct a PPR table top exercise that promotes region-wide assessment of gaps for effective multi-sectoral planning involving the essential service sectors. In Ha Noi at the 16 th ASEAN Summit on April 2010, the ASEAN Heads of State / Government stressed the need to continue strengthening preparedness and response efforts asking Ministers and officials to develop a regional pandemic preparedness plan as called for in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint based on the results of a to-be-ready region-wide assessment on gaps in pandemic preparedness. This table top exercise will assist in identifying gaps in preparedness. This exercise is also in line with the integration of PPR into national/regional disaster management structures and mechanisms, which is recommended by the United Nations and is being pursued by ASEAN, through its ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), which now serves as the main mechanism for multi-sectoral PPR, where specific activities have been incorporated in the AADMER Work Programme ( ). 2. Goal and Objectives. The overarching goal of the exercise is to: Improve the multisectoral whole of society capabilities of ASEAN Member States both individually and collectively to prepare for and respond to a severe pandemic with potentially devastating effects on the region. The goal is improvement in multisectoral preparedness and response at the country, regional and broader level among the Member States and other international actors. The lessons of this exercise are broadly aimed at improvements to multihazard preparedness and response. This overarching goal and the objectives which follow have been developed with the intent to examine the issues associated with a severe pandemic from the perspectives of government, business and civil society, by addressing preparedness, response and the continuity of operations/services at the national and regional levels. Specific objectives to achieve the overarching goal of the event include: 1. Gain a common understanding by all participants of existing regional preparedness and response plans and mechanisms 2. Confirm essential service sectors, and identify planning and response elements and issues that influence the preparedness and continuity of 2

3 operations by government and civil society at the national and regional level, including sectoral interdependencies that may result in additional effects 3. Determine when an initial health crisis response changes to a multisectoral crisis severely impacting the functioning of society and interaction among countries within a region; identify key trigger points for actions by ASEAN (as an organization), ASEAN Member States, and other regional and international organizations and assisting states 4. Identify the gaps in how ASEAN (as an organization) and ASEAN Member States coordinate and cooperate amongst themselves, and with UN and other key international agencies including donors; develop strategic options for regional cooperation when the response requires broader efforts 5. Examine the regional communications strategy, protocols and plans for possible improvements 6. Identify recommendations for improvement to existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and plans for interagency and cross-border cooperation 3. Report of Exercise Results. The deliverable for this exercise is a Report and Recommendations of the exercise to be presented to and for follow-up by relevant ASEAN bodies, the UN and USAID to help improve regional cooperation and facilitate a whole of society approach to preparation and response to a pandemic. 4. Exercise Design. The exercise is designed to facilitate achievement of the stated goal and objectives. To facilitate an open discussion of issues and recommendations of the participants, the exercise will use a scenario with fictitious countries. Utilizing a fictional scenario allows participants to freely present their professional opinions without necessarily commenting on the policies of their own government or organization. The discussions of participants will also be conducted in a not for attribution environment to facilitate open dialogue of the issues. Participants from ASEAN Member States will be grouped into five or six fictitious countries and will portray the response of their sector or ministry, but as if representing the fictitious country to which they are assigned. For example, a member of the Philippines National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) would assume the role of a director of the fictitious country s national disaster management organization (NDMO) and discuss issues pertinent to a generic NDMO, but not necessarily issues specific to the Philippines. The discussions will remain protected and treated as confidential. All products of the workshop will be reflective of the consensus of the participants so as to identify issues, 3

4 examine the issues in depth and develop useful recommendations that each stakeholder can take to his/her respective ministry or organization to help improve preparation and response to a severe pandemic. The exercise will span five days as follows: Day 1: Professional Exchange (to prepare all participants for the exercise) Days 2-4: Table Top Exercise (aimed at meeting event objectives to achieve the overarching goal of the exercise) Day 5: Exercise Discussion, Recommendations, and Conclusion UN OCHA Regional Office for Asia Pacific (ROAP), UNSIC (Bangkok), the Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT) and Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS), acting as implementing partners of USAID, will, in coordination with the ASEAN Secretariat, assist and support in the planning and execution of the exercise. The ASEAN Secretariat, OCHA, UNSIC, MPAT and APCSS will support with scenario and exercise design, and provide administrative and logistical support for the planning and execution of the event, to include funding for a significant portion of the delegates. See ANNEX 1 for further details on exercise organization and the scenario. 5. Timeline and Planning Cycle. The planning process will extend over several months. To ensure the proper design of the event and ensure that ASEAN Member States needs are addressed, two planning conferences with members of the ASEAN Secretariat, UN, MPAT and APCSS planners are proposed. Planning conference dates, key milestones, and the date of the exercise are as follows: a. Initial Planning Conference: April 2010, Jakarta, Indonesia b. Invitation Letter (by ASEC to ATWG PPR): no later than 25 May 2010 c. Final Planning Conference: July 2010, Hanoi, Vietnam d. Exercise Execution: August 2010, Phnom Penh, Cambodia The conferences will conclude agreement on the event objectives, further refine the scenario to meet those objectives, and finalize the event participant list and group composition. The conferences will also serve to clarify event host, sponsor and participant roles and responsibilities. ASEAN Member States should consider sending participants with authority to make decisions regarding the event on behalf of their country to the final planning conference. 4

5 6. Desired Participation. Participants should be key personnel from different sectors of each ASEAN Member State (civil governmental and defense representatives) who would or could be involved in multisectoral pandemic preparedness, planning, and response; ASEAN Secretariat; other regional and international organizations, as agreed upon; limited donor states; and observers from other regional organizations, as agreed upon. See ANNEX 2 for a detailed list of proposed participants. 7. Sponsorship and Hosting Arrangements. The exercise will be hosted by ASEAN in an ASEAN Member State (to be determined) and cosponsored by UNSIC and UNOCHA, and USAID, with the support of the MPAT Secretariat and APCSS. 8. Funding for Participants. Funding for select nominated participants from ASEAN Member States and selected organizations will be facilitated through the organizing secretariat. The ASEAN Secretariat will issue the official invitation to all participants and observers. Summary. A severe pandemic is a major concern of all countries. Many countries are already engaged in meeting this threat, although with the main focus on health sector response. Open international discussions and exercises that consider the impact of a pandemic on various sectors and essential services as well as transnational issues need to be undertaken on a more frequent basis. ASEAN, UN and USAID support for this event will help promote more engagement among multiple sectors, civil and defense planners of all nations and organizations in the region and show-case ASEAN leadership. 5

6 ANNEX 1: Exercise Organization and Scenario Proposed exercise groupings will be organized notionally as follows: 1. ASEAN Secretariat participants will form their own group, but in fact will most likely be part of the exercise control group, as well. 2. ASEAN Member States participants will be grouped into five or six fictitious countries. Participants from the same ASEAN country will be in the same group. Based on the number of countries and personnel participating, participants from more than one ASEAN nation may be in the same group. 3. Participants will represent the same functions as they do in their day-today work. For example, if a participant is from his or her country s Ministry of Transportation, that participant will function in the same or similar role (but on a broader basis) as he / she does in his / her own country. They shall portray the activities of their ministry and their sector as a whole. 4. International Community participants will integrate into the various countries, but since there will most likely not be enough for each group, they will have to rotate between groups, as required. It is possible for UN staff representatives from ASEAN Member States to also participate. 5. Non-ASEAN Member States participants will be placed in one group representing non-affected donor / assisting states. Scenario: The fictitious subcontinent Pandemica and its six countries will be used for the table top exercise. Use of fictitious countries should minimize any sensitivities or reticence among participants. Pandemica has been used in previous exercises (including those with most ASEAN Member States defense establishments) and the fictitious country backgrounds will be adjusted to support the table top exercise. Starting situation and daily moves or game turns : 1. The world at the commencement of the table top exercise is currently not experiencing a devastating pandemic crisis (such as the SARS crisis). 2. A significantly severe strain of virus will break out in one of the Pandemica countries. Initially this is perceived, and responded to, as a health crisis. 3. It is very rapidly evident that the new virus is so severe and spreads so rapidly that the health crisis very quickly becomes a multisectoral crisis impacting the functioning of governments and civil society. 4. The virus begins to spread to other countries in the region. Nations will have to respond to various requirements of the scenario. 5. Each day the scenario will be advanced over time as the pandemic goes through its spread. Scenario injects will be based on how participants respond. 6

7 6. Impact on different sectors, continuity of operations, intraregional and possibly interregional interaction, support by the military and the role of humanitarian organizations will be stressed. 7

8 ANNEX 2: List of Proposed Participants ASEAN Member States (a total of nine (9) participants from each country as follows): 1. Head of National Disaster Management Organization. 2. Head of organization/institution responsible for multisectoral / interagency coordination (if separate from NDMO representative). 3. Public Health (focal point of the ASEAN Technical Working Group for Pandemic Preparedness and Response). 4. Key senior level civil governmental representatives (four (4) participants) from the following essential service sectors: a. Water and Sanitation b. Food Supply c. Energy d. Transportation e. Telecommunications f. Security / Law & Order (police) g. Finance and banking h. Media / Public Relations / Information (key non-essential service sector) 5. ASEAN Member State defense / military planners (two (2) personnel from each country) from Ministry of Defense or national level / joint or service headquarters. 6. ASEAN Member States are to provide participant names no later than 30 June ASEAN Secretariat: Up to eight (8) key personnel involved in pandemic planning and coordinating ASEAN support to affected states, primarily originating from the Cross-Sectoral Cooperation Directorate to include the Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance Division, the Health & Communicable Diseases Division; the Agriculture Industry and Natural Resources Division; ASEAN Political and Security Department, and others, as required. International and Regional Organizations: 1. UN System 2. International NGO networks 3. International Organization for Migration (IOM) 4. International Federation of Red Cross / Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) 5. World Bank & / or Asian Development Bank Non-ASEAN assisting states / entities: 1. Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, USA and select others, as agreed upon 8

9 2. Donor organizations (AusAID [Australia], JICA [Japan], USAID [US], NZAID [New Zealand], ECHO [European Commission], CIDA [Canada]) Observers (1 each): 1. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) 2. Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC) / Pacific Island Forum (PIF) 3. Asia-Pacific Economic Community (APEC) 4. European Community (EC) 5. African Union (AU) 6. League of Arab States 7. Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) 8. Southern African Development Community (SADC) 9. Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) 10. US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) 11. Sistema de Integración Centroamericana (SICA) 12. Caribbean Community (CARICOM) 9