ReliefWeb

Executive summary

In the context of the Asia Pacific Zone, its demographic, socio-economic and environmental trends, and the Federation's strategic priorities, the Southeast Asia regional secretariat team continues to support the 11 national societies in Southeast Asia. The countries of the region remain vulnerable to health and disaster related risks. Disasters which annually affect the region include cyclones, typhoons, floods and earthquakes. In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, causing an estimated 136,000 deaths and 2.6 million people were affected.

The goals, means of delivery and strategic framework of this Southeast Asia regional plan fit within the International Federation's wider Asia Pacific zone strategic priorities, which are guided by the International Federation's newly adopted Strategy 2020. The priorities in the coming two years are to:

- Build safer and more resilient communities through services to member national societies that increase the reach and impact of their programmes;

- Strengthen Red Cross Red Crescent mechanisms and networks that build mutual capacity, improve knowledge sharing, and increase leverage of collective voice;

- Influence changes in humanitarian policies and practices through improved access to and cooperation
with governments and key institutions;

- Diversify financial and human resources for the benefit of programmes at the national level through a
collective Red Cross Red Crescent approach;

- Lead and coordinate zonal, regional and country planning, performance and accountability mechanisms
to increase Red Cross Red Crescent effectiveness and efficiency.

The overall purpose of this 2010-2011 plan, is to coordinate and support International Federation (i.e. secretariat and partner national societies) efforts to assist the eleven national societies in Southeast Asia in scaling up their work in line with the International Federation's four Global Agenda goals.

The Southeast Asia team based in Bangkok

- Strategically and technically supports and guides country office teams (Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Timor-Leste, Thailand, and Viet Nam);

- Provides technical support to national societies with no secretariat country presence (Brunei
Darussalam, Lao PDR, Malaysia and Singapore);

- Strengthens institutional memory and the sharing of good practice and lessons learnt;

- Coordinates Red Cross Red Crescent Movement work in the region within the Federation mandate, including strengthening relations with partner national societies.

The offices in Indonesia and Myanmar both resumed reporting back to Bangkok in 2009 after previous switches in reporting lines because of the tsunami and Cyclone Nargis disasters respectively. This brings several opportunities (including lesson sharing of how Indonesian Red Cross and Myanmar Red Cross can emerge from these mega-disasters stronger) as well as challenges (including planning effective exit strategies from disaster programming).

The regional team has invested considerable time and effort to improve Red Cross Red Crescent Movement communication in Southeast Asia. Several Movement coordination meetings took place in 2009, and these forums increased communication, confidence, clarity and coherence of Movement efforts within the region.

The total budget for 2010 is CHF 3,075,706 (USD 2.98 million or EUR 2.02 million) and is CHF 3,155,064 (USD 3.05 million or EUR 2.07 million) for 2011.