ASEAN's Most Recent Humanitarian Needs Assessment for Rohingya Refugees

3 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what are the results of the most recent humanitarian needs assessment conducted by the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) for Rohingya refugees.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: The Preliminary Needs Assessment (PNA) conducted in March 2019 was the most recent humanitarian needs assessment. The report identified three potential areas of collaboration: (a) enhancing the capacity of reception and transit centres; (b) strengthening information dissemination; and (c) support for the provision of basic services.

The ASEAN Secretariat’s Ad-Hoc Support Team was established to monitor the implementation of PNA. Comprehensive Needs Assessments (CNAs) will be conducted once repatriation commences. However, progress has stalled, given the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing political instability in Myanmar and the recent Cyclone Mocha.

Singapore has strongly supported ASEAN’s efforts and contributed over S$1 million in bilateral aid to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of displaced persons from Rakhine State. We are prepared to send further consignments of aid and stand ready to support future CNAs once repatriation commences.