VOLCANO ACCORD AND REQUEST FOR EXPANDED VOLCANO ASSISTANCE

UNCLAS JAKARTA 002252 SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES AND EAP INTERIOR FOR USGS USAID FOR ANE, EGAT, OFDA BANGKOK FOR RDM/A - BILL BERGER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID KGHG SENV PGOV ID SUBJECT: VOLCANO ACCORD AND REQUEST FOR EXPANDED VOLCANO ASSISTANCE ¶1. (U) Summary. The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Center for Volcanology and Geologic Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) held an international symposium in Bandung from November 30 through December 5, 2008 to review progress on volcano hazard science and risk reduction in Asia. Participants drafted the Bandung Accord, an agreement for international cooperation in volcano risk reduction. The accord, which is being circulated by CVGHM for review, calls on th volcanic nations of the Pacific Rim to prioritiee their volcanoes for new monitoring and for multi-lateral cooperation in reducing volcanic risk. During the meeting, CVGHM Director Surono singled out the United States Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP) to assist with the establishment of modern real-time monitoring of the highest pi(ority volcanoes on the island of Java, where more than two million people live on the flanks of active volcanoes. The invitation from Surono is a strong endorsement of VDAP's ongoing work in Indonesia and a significant step forward in advancing US-Indonesian scientific cooperation. End summary. ¶2. (U) CVGM hosted the 2008 Asian International Symposium on Modeling of Volcanic Eruption for Volcanic Hazard Assessment. Participants included representatives from volcano hazards agencies and universities in Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States. Dr. John S. Pallister, Chief of VDAP represented the United States. (VDAP is a joint program sponsored by USAID-Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the United States Geoglogical Survey.) ¶3. (U) Symposium participants drafted the Bandung Accord, an agreement for international cooperation in volcano risk reduction. Under the accord, Pacific Rim nations would establish priorities using methods developed by the US Geological Survey where priorities are determined by analysis of: 1) relative threat levels, 2) current monitoring capabilities and knowledge base, and 3) gaps between the current status of monitoring and optimal levels needed to save lives and property. The accord calls for participating nations to coordinate capacity-building projects, provide for exchange of knowledge and experience, and seek common approaches and methods for risk reduction. If implemented, the Bandung Accord would also focus multi-lateral foreign assistance efforts on the most hazardous volcanoes in developing countries of the Pacific Rim. ¶4. (U) During the meeting, Surono singled out the USG among donor countries to assist CVGHM with establishing modern real-time monitoring of the highest priority volcanoes on the island of Java, where more than two million people live on the flanks of active volcanoes. The Embassy has repeatedly heard Indonesian government officials praise the VDAP North Sulawesi project and VDAP's support during the eruption of Merapi volcano and the Yogyakarta earthquake in 2006. In North Sulawesi, VDAP helped build a regional volcano observatory and has created what CVGHM now describes as the "best volcano monitoring system in Indonesia." The Embassy believes expansion of the VDAP program to include activities in Java will not only better safeguard Indonesians living in close proximity to volcanoes but will also contribute to a stronger US-Indonesian scientific partnership. HUME