Responding to disasters: the use of military assets in disaster relief [WP837]

This conference discussed the following points:

• What is the current state of military-humanitarian co-ordination in the immediate aftermath to a disaster?
• What role can the national military and civil defence forces play in the immediate aftermath of sudden-onset natural and man-made disasters?
• What contribution can international military forces make?
• What lessons can be learnt from the deployment of both national and international military assets during recent disasters such as the Asian Tsunami and South Asian earthquake?
• How cost-effective is the deployment of military assets?
• How can national and international military assets be successfully integrated into the overall humanitarian relief effort?
• How can the Oslo Guidelines be taken forward?
• Who should lead?
• How are military and humanitarian mandates in disaster response best reconciled and their actions co-ordinated on the ground?
• What actions should be taken between disasters to ensure a smooth, integrated international relief effort with military involvement during emergencies?