Seoul – International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in the Republic of Korea (ROK), in partnership with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), hosted Humanitarian Assistance Essentials Training for the reserve members of Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) from 16 May to 18 May 2023. The training was attended by 41 KDRT reserve members, comprised of KOICA officials in charge of providing coordination support among ROK humanitarian actors.   

Building upon the success of previous pilot training in 2021-2022, IOM ROK continues to support operational capacity-building endeavour for the KDRT reserve force, the official overseas emergency response unit of the ROK government, in humanitarian operations.  

Led by Fatou Jah, Senior Regional Emergency and Post-Crisis Specialist at IOM Regional Office for Asia-Pacific (ROAP) and Bruce David Spires, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Protection Rapid Response Officer from IOM Headquarters, the training consisted of two parts: a one-day basic training, which introduced key humanitarian principles and interagency coordination mechanisms, and a back-to-back advanced coaching for two days through which more practical exercises were conducted to design a humanitarian intervention mechanism that applied the key concepts learned, including humanitarian programme cycle and Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus.   

“I frequently engage with a multitude of international organizations. The training presented a significant opportunity for me to grasp the fundamental international principles and key frameworks that govern our collective efforts. This newfound knowledge has significantly improved my capacity to communicate and collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders within the coordination mechanism," shared a participant from the advanced training. 

Since 2021, IOM ROK has been providing capacity-building support to equip the reserve members of KDRT with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate in emergency contexts through partnership with KOICA, the secretariat of KDRT. 

*** 

For more information, please contact Eunice Jieun KIM, IOM Republic of Korea Mission, Tel.: +82 70 4820 0291, Email: jikim@iom.int.