USTDA Promotes Emergency Preparedness Business Opportunities and Solutions in ASEAN

The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is attempting to do well for American business by helping the ASEAN region do some good for people threatened by natural disasters.

A recent USTDA workshop in Bangkok brought together more than 140 senior officials and experts from throughout Southeast Asia and the United States to address critical topics in disaster preparedness and response.  This workshop was the first concrete step in an ASEAN-U.S. Connectivity Cooperation Initiative announced during the ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Meeting held in Indonesia in November 2011.

Disaster risk reduction and sharing of information, technology, and best practices are growing priorities in the strategically important and growing ASEAN region.  Countries in this region often experience floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters.

In response to ASEAN’s need for greater regional disaster management cooperation, the ASEAN Disaster Management, Mitigation, and Response Technologies Workshop was designed to promote best practices and use of U.S. disaster management, response and mitigation technologies in Southeast Asian countries.  Topics on the agenda included:  professional disaster preparedness, response and mitigation strategies; early warning, flood forecasting, and weather modeling systems; technologies and best practices in data collection and integration systems and emergency management communication; structural engineering solutions; search and rescue operations; and disaster management capacity building.

This initiative is typical of USTDA's work -- which is centered on creating jobs at employers back home in the U.S. while helping emerging economies address critical development needs.  USTDA promotes economic growth in emerging economies by facilitating the participation of U.S. businesses in the planning and execution of priority development projects in host countries. The Agency’s objectives are to help build the infrastructure for trade, match U.S. technological expertise with overseas development needs, and help create lasting business partnerships between the United States and emerging market economies.

More than 60 U.S. companies participated in the inaugural Bangkok event.  Participants included companies involved in all phases of emergency response, including information communications technology, emergency response infrastructure engineering, and manufacturing.

John Howley
New York, New York