Asia, Africa seal deal to work on tsunami early warning system

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Asian and African leaders agreed on Saturday to set up national early warning systems to minimize the effects of tidal waves, following last year's killer tsunami that claimed over 200,000 lives.

A total of 89 heads of state/government, ministers and officials endorsed plans for the development of a coordinated regional system on the two continents.

"We are determined to establish an integrated strategy for the development of a multi-nodal early warning system with mechanisms for preparedness, prevention, mitigation and response, with a view to minimizing casualties," they said in their statement issued during the Asian-African Summit in Jakarta.

The leaders said that they recognized the need "to invest in the development of proactive, integrated, multi-hazard and multi- sectoral standby arrangements and early warning systems" to mitigate natural disasters around the Indian Ocean rim.

They vowed to work together to translate this into concrete action by establishing a standby arrangement for disaster relief and emergency response, creating networks for information exchange, establishing research and database centers, maximizing the use of the latest advances in science and technology, and developing strategies to reduce the risk and impact of natural disasters.

"We are determined that, harnessed within a spirit of compassion, sacrifice and endurance, our preparedness and capacity to proactively address the effects of tsunami, earthquakes and other natural disasters will prevail to the future betterment of our peoples," the statement read.

The Dec. 26 tsunami, triggered by a massive undersea earthquake, hit 11 Asian and African countries around the Indian Ocean.

The establishment of a tsunami early warning system has become a topic of debate in the region. Some countries have proposed a region-wide disaster warning center while others have suggested a multi-node system.