SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SDCF) and Mercy Relief signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) on Thursday to synergise their resources and networks for humanitarian cooperation to provide a quicker and more unified response during future regional disasters.
The scope of cooperation includes enlarging and nurturing the pool of future humanitarians to address the longer term needs of the humanitarian sector.
The partnership
includes a framework to facilitate the participation of SCDF officers to
Mercy Relief's Overseas Volunteer Expedition, sustainable development
and rebuilding programmes.
Mercy Relief and SCDF had
collaborated in previous disaster relief efforts, in countries like
Aceh, Indonesia during the Asian Tsunami in 2004.
It was through these collaborations that the two parties found they complement each other.
For
example, SCDF can focus on search and rescue of trapped victims while
Mercy Relief focuses on medical relief and providing basic survival
needs to victims during joint disaster relief efforts.
Mercy
Relief's chief executive, Hassan Ahmad, said the scope of cooperation
with SCDF will include enlarging and nurturing the pool of future
humanitarians.
He said: "In a region where 70 per cent of
catastrophes occur, at an increased frequency, it is crucial that
constant dialogues and engagements start before disasters strike.
"It
is important that we not only address the current humanitarian
requirements, but we must also invest in the longer-term needs of the
humanitarian sector, which include the grooming future humanitarians in
terms of knowledge, skills and exposure."
- CNA/wm