"The AHA Center was established with the aim of facilitating cooperation and coordination among ASEAN member states," First Assistant for Social Vulnerability to the Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Willem Rampangilei said in his address at the opening of the AHA Center here on Thursday.
The cooperation would also be conducted with the United Nations and other international bodies in promoting regional collaboration to address natural disasters, he said.
Willem said the AHA Center would among other things disseminate information on natural disasters to all member states.
In addition, it would also function as a coordinating center in mobilizing assistance to ensure that it could be distributed efficiently, effectively and quickly, he said.
The center will have an office at the National Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) building here. In carrying out its task the center will also cooperate with the National Survey and Mapping Coordinating Board (BAKOSURTANAL), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and a number of disaster mitigation agencies.
Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono said in his address the establishment of AHA Center was the implementation of ASEAN`s socio-cultural pillars.
"AHA Center will serve as a strategic instrument to encourage the creation of ASEAN community based on three pillars -- political, economic and socio-cultural pillars. And AHA Center deals with the socio-cultural pillar," he said.
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Editor: Bambang
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