Facilitation of consultation process between CESDRR and Central Asian Disaster Management Authorities on the draft Regional Agreement on International Disaster Response and the establishment of the regional humanitarian coordination center

Organizational Context

In Centra Asia, the disaster risk management is within the mandate of the emergency management authorities of each state. Among the five Central Asian states, only Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan have a separate International Disaster Response Laws (IDRL) (“Law on International Emergency Assistance”), while all other states have their own law on civil protection /protection of the population and territory.

The Central Asian countries have ratified and are implementing measures in the field of interstate cooperation in DRR and emergency situations. This is within the framework of existing bilateral and multilateral interstate agreements/treaties in the field of emergency prevention and response, which includes within the CIS, SCO, and Central Asia.

1. The Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR)

   The Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR) is an international organization established to implement measures to harmonize and bring national legislation of the Parties in the field of emergency situations and civil defense to international standards, to ensure effective mechanisms to decrease the risk of emergencies, to mitigate the consequences, to organize a joint response through agreed measures of the Parties and to stimulate regional and international cooperation. It is composed of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, while the other Central Asian states that are not official members have bilateral cooperation with CESDRR on various projects and attend the Regional DRR platform with Ministerial Representation.

   In order to further strengthen regional cooperation, CESDRR established the Central Asian regional high-level dialogue platform for DRR — the Regional Forum-Meeting of the Heads of Emergency Authorities of Central Asian countries, adding Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to the framework.

   It is organized annually as “an auxiliary mechanism on strengthening and developing the regional cooperation in the field of disaster risk reduction, prevention and elimination of emergencies, and acts as a permanent consultative platform.” This includes the “facilitation of implementation of general directions of regional cooperation development in the field of disaster risk reduction, prevention and elimination of emergencies.”

2. Central Asian Regulation on the Regional Emergency Response Coordination Mechanism

   On 5 November 2021 the Central Asia Regulation on the Regional Emergency Response Coordination Mechanism (the Regulation) was approved by the Protocol of the Regional Forum – Meeting of the Heads of Emergency Authorities of Central Asian countries. The Regulation is a voluntary instrument that establishes the Central Asia regional coordination mechanism for international humanitarian assistance. It guides all Central Asian states in strengthening and coordinating international humanitarian assistance between EMAs in the region, and between EMAs and non-governmental actors within the region.

   In August 2024 the CA Emergency management authorities approved an Action Plan, which included the recommendations provided by the IFRC i.e. (1) improvement of the 2021 Central Asia Regulation on the Regional Emergency Response Coordination Mechanism (“Regulation”) based on the IDRL Guidelines and international best practices; and (2) development of legally binding regional instrument on international disaster response, which regulates the provision of international assistance and forms the legal basis for the creation of the Central Asian Coordination Center for Emergency Response on the basis of the CESDRR.

   Job Purpose

3. Purpose, outputs and intended outcomes

   The purpose of this consultancy is to assist the legal consultant during the negotiation process on the drafting of the legally binding regional agreement on international disaster response, which regulates the provision of international assistance and forms the legal basis for the creation of the Central Asian Coordination Center for Emergency Response. The agreement will be drafted by the legal consultant considering the relevant practices already developed by other regional humanitarian coordination bodies, such as the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) and the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) within the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and will be shared with the CESDRR for further consultation with respective Emergency Authorities of Central Asian countries.

   Job Duties and Responsibilities

   III. Methodology

   In order to facilitate the negotiation process on the draft agreement on international disaster response, which regulates the provision of international assistance and forms the legal basis for the creation of the Central Asian Coordination Center for Emergency Response on the basis of the CESDRR and after submission of the draft agreement by the legal consultant to the initial review of the CESDRR and the emergency authorities of CA countries the Consultant will perform the following tasks:

4. Assist the CESDRR and the legal consultant in the consultation processes, including:

   - Assisting the CESDRR and the legal Consultant in conducting preliminary consultations with relevant stakeholders to receive initial comments on the draft legally binding agreement;

   - Receiving and forwarding to the legal Consultant the comments and elements to be included in the draft agreement proposed by the CESDRR and the national disaster management authorities of Central Asia;

   - Work closely with the legal Consultant to address the proposals to the draft agreement and prepare it for consideration by the emergency management authorities of Central Asia at the regional workshop to present the first version of the draft agreement;

   - Prepare and facilitate the regional workshop on the consultation process;

   - Together with the legal Consultant prepare a Report on the outcomes of the negotiation process;

   - Hold regular consultations with the CESDRR with a view to facilitating the negotiation process by the emergency management authorities of Central Asia.

5. Carry out such other tasks as may be deemed necessary by the CESDRR.

6. Support to be provided to the Consultant

   The Consultant will be supported by the IFRC Senior Disaster Law Officer for Central Asia, based in Bishkek and will report directly to the Senior Disaster Law Officer and the CESDRR, who will be responsible for validating the deliverables. The consultant will also be working closely and in coordination with the legal consultant who will develop the draft agreement.

7. Schedule for payment of fees

   The consultancy fee will be paid in two tranches:

8. First tranche (70%) – following the preliminary consultations with the CESDRR and NDMAs to receive initial comments on the draft legal agreement, developed by legal Consultant;

This consultancy is output-based. The estimated timeframe for this consultancy is 1.5 month (5 May 2025- 23 June 2025) in accordance with the breakdown of activities below.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

ACTIVITY

DESCRIPTION

SUGGESTED PERSON-DAYS

TARGET DATE

Stage 1: The draft agreement is to be submitted by the Legal Consultant to the CESDRR for their consideration and onward forwarding to the relevant emergency authorities in Central Asia for preliminary review.

Follow up with the CESDRR and the relevant emergency authorities in Central Asia on the draft agreement that was submitted by the legal Consultant.

2

12 May, 2025

Stage 2: Revision of the draft agreement as initial proposals from the CESDRR and/or emergency management authorities in Central Asia are received.

- Collect and forward to the Legal Consultant the comments and proposals to be included in the draft agreement initially proposed by the CESDRR and the emergency management authorities of Central Asia;

- Assist the Legal Consultant in addressing the proposals to the draft agreement and prepare it for consideration at the Regional workshop.

3

16 May, 2025

(tentative, depending on the proposals received from the EMAs)

23 May, 2025 (tentative, depending on the proposals received from the EMAs)

Stage 3: preparation of the Regional workshop to present the draft Central Asian agreement on international disaster response

- Together with the CESDRR organize the Regional workshop to present the draft Central Asian agreement on international disaster response.

-Assist the Legal Consultant in revision process on the draft agreement based on the initial proposals from CESDRR and/or NDMAs in Central Asia.

5

May 30, 2025

(tentative, depending on the proposals received from the EMAs)

Stage 3: preparation of the final report on the completion of the ToR.

Together with the assisting Consultant prepare the Executive Summary after the completion of the assignment

5

23 June, 2025

(tentative, depending on the availability of the NDMAs)

Experience

Qualifications of Consultant

Required:

Preferred:

Expertise in drafting legal agreements and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required: