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THE SECOND JOINT PROJECT TEAM MEETING FOR ESTABLISHING
THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SYSTEM IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

Melia Hanoi Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam. 14-15 February, 2006

PROCEEDINGS AND DOCUMENTS

The result of the Meeting

Result of the First Joint Project Team Meeting
for Establishing a Disaster Management Support System in the Asia-Pacific Region February 15, 2006

The First Joint Project Team Meeting for Establishing a Disaster Management Support System in the Asia-Pacific Region was held in Hanoi, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on February 14 and 15, 2006.

The meeting, which was organized by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in cooperation with the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and was supported by the UN-Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), was the first step for establishing a "disaster management support system in the Asia-Pacific Region" that was agreed upon at the 12th Session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-12) held in October, 2005.

About 70 participants from 34 agencies in 18 nations and 4 international organizations gathered in Hanoi for the meeting to discuss the implementation plan of the "Sentinel-Asia" * and the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Joint Project Team.

*A project to establish a network using data acquired from satellites for disaster management.

The following were the results of the meeting.

  • 1.Participants agreed on the concept, basic structure, and form for "Sentinel-Asia", and also decided to commence the project.
    • -"Sentinel-Asia" consists of three nodes, Data Provider Nodes, Research and Training Nodes, Local Service Provider Nodes ("User Nodes")
    • -Participants decided to form a technical team to coordinate more details of the implementation plan.
  • 2.The TOR of the Joint Project Team was adopted, and 23 agencies from 14 countries and four international organizations were confirmed as participant organizations in the Team.
  • 3.The next Joint Project Team meeting is scheduled for June.

The Conclusions of the Meeting

Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Joint Project Team

Presentations during Meeting

MEETING DETAILS

Hosted by

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in cooperation with UN-Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP)

Local Organizer

Institute of Geography (IG), Vietnamese Academy of Sciences and Technology (VAST)

Message from Chairperson

Hideshi Kozawa
Associate Executive Director
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Welcome Messasge

To the participants to the First Joint Project Team Meeting at Melia Hanoi Hotel, Vietnam in February 2006

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great honor to announce and welcome you to the first Joint Project Team Meeting for Establishing a Disaster Management System in the Asia-Pacific Region which will be held between 14 and 15 February 2006 at Melia Hanoi Hotel, Vietnam.

This project meeting is organized by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in cooperation with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) and supported by Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) as the local host organization.

The project meeting has been planned to provide a good opportunity to initiate discussions for establishing a Disaster Management System in the region, based on the context of discussions and recommendations made both in the Earth Observation Working Group and the Special Session at APRSAF-12 held in October 2005 in Japan.

In the field of space development, Japan has been building the cooperation with many Asian countries for more than three decades, and one of its notable cooperation is the Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) started in 1993 being co-sponsored both by JAXA and MEXT, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. At the APRSAF-11 held in Australia in November 2004, the participants agreed to develop an effective pilot project for the purpose of disaster reduction in the region.

Consequently, JAXA organized a workshop titled the "Asian WS on Satellite Technology & Data Utilization for Disaster Monitoring" at the UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in January 2005 in Kobe, Japan. In addition, JAXA and MACRES, Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing, organized a technical workshop titled the "Disaster Reduction through Effective Space Technology & Data Utilization in the Asia-Pacific Region" focusing on disaster monitoring and data-sharing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May 2005.

Also, in spring 2005, JAXA issued its "Long-Term Vision" for next 20 years. As the Implementation Policy of the Long-Term Vision, JAXA proposed to develop an integral observation, monitoring and warning system through which anybody, at anytime and anywhere, can be informed of the current situations and predictions of disasters as well as conditions of the global environment by receiving the dispatched warnings and information.

JAXA also proposed at APRSAF-12 last year to develop a Disaster Management System using space technology for Asia-Pacific region jointly with Asia-Pacific colleagues, and the participants agreed to start the discussion for the implementation of the system.

JAXA launched the new Advanced Land Observation Satellite "Daichi" on Jan.24 this year, and Daichi is expected to contribute in map production, disaster monitoring and so on. APRSAF-12 recommended to initiate the implementation of the Disaster Management Support System with step by step approach, and, as the first step of the system, the implementation of internet based data distribution system so called "Sentinel Asia" was agreed. The "Sentinel Asia" will provide satellite image data including brand new
"Daichi" data through internet system for the users in Asia-Pacific region.

Consequently, I believe we must effectively have the discussion at a series of Joint Project Team Meetings for establishing a Disaster Management System as one of the most useful tools to provide necessary support to the indigenous people through space applications in order to enhance safety in the region.

In that sense, I am expecting active discussions among everyone who will be participating in the first Joint Project Team Meeting in Hanoi.

In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to our co-sponsor, UN-ESCAP, as well as VAST, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, who made every effort with JAXA staff to prepare the meeting of this time as the local host organization.

Once again, I look forward to seeing you in Hanoi for exchanging lively views on a Disaster Management System in the region.

Thank you.

Announcement

First Announcement
Appendix
Final Announcement

Expected Attendances

  1. Space agencies from APRSAF member countries;
  2. Disaster management agencies mainly from ADRC (Asian Disaster Reduction Center) member nations; and
  3. International organizations.

Program

Important Dates

January 31, 2006 Deadline for Registration
TBD Deadline for Presentation Submission
February 13, 2006 Participants arriving at Hanoi
February 14, 2006 Begin Workshop Program
February 15, 2006 End of Workshop Program
February 15, 2006 Participants leave

Registration and Accommodation

Information on Registration

Mr. Takeshi Hanyuda / Mr. Michio Ozawa
APRSAF Secretariat
c/o. Japan Space Forum

Address: Shin-Ohtemachi Bldg. 7F, 2-2-1 Ohtemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
TEL: +81(0)3 5200-1302
FAX: +81(0)3 5200-1420
E-mail: secretariataprsaf.org
Accommodation

Meli? Hanoi

Address: 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hanoi, Vietnam.
TEL: +84-4-9-343-343
FAX: +84-4-9-343-344
URL: http://www.meliahanoi.com/

General Information

Country information

Full name of the country: Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Area: 330.991 sq.km/127.796 sq. miles; Population: about 82 million; Languages: Vietnamese is the official language (English, French, Russia and Chinese area also spoken); Time zone: GTM + 7; Country code: 84; Religion: Buddhism is the principal faith; Currency: VN (Vietnam Dong), USD and most credit cards accepted at major hotels, restaurants.

Climate

Hanoi's climate is very typical for the North, featured by humid monsoon tropical climate. Summer is hot with high rainfall and winter is cold with little rain. Particularly in autumn season-the beauty time of a yeah in the Red River delta is described so charming and poetic. In the time of the Conference is the second week of November-winter starts. Average temperature is 21.50C.

At Noi Bai Airport

Money-exchange agents and telephone
When you have passed the customs and leave the passenger zone, you will find money exchange at your right-hand side, next to the arrival exit. Do not change too much money there. These agencies are slightly more expensive than banks elsewhere. It is advisable to get at least 450000 VN dong (approx. 30 US dollar).
Just a little further, at the end the hall on your left-hand side, you will find a room with public telephones. You can call telephone or buy telephone cards at this place.

From Noi Bai Airport to Melia Hanoi

Important warning: crossing streets in Hanoi Here's some important advice we want to give you right from the start: Always watch the traffic when you cross a street, even when you are on a pedestrian crossing, and even if the pedestrian light is green. Motorists sometimes fail to notice traffic lights, or notice them too late, at high speed.

  • Taxi

A lot easier then the bus, but also more expensive is taking a taxi. First of all we have to warm you: when you come out of the passenger zone of the airport you can be approached by persons offering you a taxi: ignore them. They are not taxi driver official taxi company, and most of the times they charge far too much money of a ride. The official taxi's that have a license for Noi Bai-Airport are waiting right in front of the airport building. The normal price for getting to downtown should be around 150000 VN dong (appox. 10 US dollars).
Tell the taxi-drivers you want to go to Melia Hanoi (44B Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hanoi, Vietnam) or your place that you already booked.

  • Bus

The cheapest way to get from Noi Bai Airport to Melia Hanoi or your hotel is by bus number 7 (from Noi Bai Airport to Kim Ma Street). The normal price should be around 4000 VN dong (one time) for use only once (appox. 0.3 US dollars).

  • Visa

VAST will support you regarding VISA Applications to enter Vietnam.Please contact to

  • Mr. Nguyen Dinh Duong
  • Doctor of Engineering
  • Associate Professor
  • Director, Depaartment of Environmrntal Information Study and Analysis
  • Institute of Geography, Vietnamese Academy of Sciences and Technology (VAST)
  • q8 Hoang Quoc Viet Rd., Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnem
TEL: +84-4-7562417
FAX: +84-4-8361192
E-mail: duong.nd@hn.vnn.vn
Visa not required

If you are a citizen of an ASEAN member country (Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Brunei, etc) and you have a official passport you may not need a visa to enter Vietnam. But please confirm this with Vietnamese embassy or consulate in your country.If you are a citizen of Japan or Korea and you stay in Vietnam with maximum 15 days and you have a return air ticket, you may not need a visa to enter Vietnam.
To get more information, please go to the website of Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
http://www.mofa.gov.vn/en