Organizational Context

Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Background

Central Asia is a landlocked region with vulnerability to extreme heat and cold, drought, mudflows, glacier melt, and earthquakes. In recent years, the frequency and intensity of disasters have increased, exacerbated by climate change. This has put a significant strain on governments’, as well as National Societies’ (as auxiliaries to the public authorities in the humanitarian field) resources and capacities to respond effectively to disasters and made the need to prepare for a world of unexpected shocks clearer and more urgent than ever. Moreover, the material loss and casualties of disasters are increasing, and may continue to do so unless relevant disaster preparedness measures are implemented. Part of such measures is legal preparedness for disasters. When the right laws are in place indicating the roles, responsibilities and coordination mechanisms during disasters and emergencies, it facilitates the prevention of harms and efficient disaster response.

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.

Job Purpose

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.”

1. 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 2023, IFRC conducted Central Asian IDRL Mapping research to assess how the domestic legal frameworks of the Central Asian countries are implementing the 2021 Central Asia Regulation on the Regional Emergency Response Coordination Mechanism. Specifically, the IDRL Regional report, identified the gaps in Central Asian states’ national legal frameworks that would need to be addressed to carry out the mechanisms in the Regulation. The research was guided by the IFRC IDRL Guidelines and its accompanying tools: The IDRL Checklist, Model Act for the Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Early Recovery Assistance and the Model Emergency Decree.

As the result, the CA countries approved the 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 Duties and Responsibilities

C. Role of CESDRR in regional coordination of disaster assistance in CA
Under the Regulation, the CESDRR is given the central mandate of organizing the activity of the various actors within the regional coordination mechanism, through its role as the Secretariat of the Regional Forum Meeting of the Heads of EMA of Central Asian countries.
In order to achieve the key objectives of the CESDRR, defined in the Regulation, much needs to be done in establishing and strengthening the capacity of CESDRR as a Regional Coordination Center for Emergency Response for the Central Asian countries capable of managing and deploying regional standby disaster response resources and capacities to Central Asian states, including the capacity to operate and maintain the regional situation room established by the Regulation.
Since the Regulation is a voluntary instrument, national legislation will be required to enforce it in the Central Asian states. There are a lot of best practices that can be learned from the experience of other regional humanitarian coordination organizations in the European Union (EU ERCC) and Southeast Asia (AHA Centre), both of which are established through binding regional instruments. The binding regional instruments allow the EU ERCC and the AHA Centre provide humanitarian coordination support to and receive operational funds from the states.

II. Purpose, outputs and intended outcomes

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop the 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 also in light of the relevant practices already developed by other regional humanitarian coordination bodies that support national states in the facilitation and regulation of international disaster assistance, 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, for further consultation of the CESDRR with respective Emergency Authorities of Central Asian countries. In this scenario, the mandate, capacities and resources of the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR) should be more robust and institutionalized so as to serve as basis for the development of the prospective regional emergency response coordination center.

III. Methodology
As to the develop the 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, the Consultant will perform the following tasks:
1. Analyzing existing frameworks in Central Asia: the Consultant will analyze current disaster response frameworks in Central Asia and best practices from other regions, based, inter alia, on the Regional Report on IDRL for Central Asia.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

2. Drafting a legally binding agreement on international disaster response: the Consultant will Identify essential elements to be included in the agreement, such as roles and responsibilities, mechanisms for international disaster response coordination, as well as the governance, operational structure, and functions of the regional humanitarian coordination center, and will prepare a draft of legally binding agreement that reflects recommendations outlined in the Regional Report on IDRL for Central Asia and international best practices.
3. Presentation of the draft agreement at the stakeholders’ consultations: The Consultant will participate at the consultations and discussions with the stakeholders as well as with the CESDRR to present the draft agreement and proposal to stakeholders for their feedback. The Consultant will revise the draft agreement as initial proposals from the CESDRR and/or emergency management authorities in Central Asia are received.

IV. 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, who will be responsible for validating the deliverables.

V. Schedule for payment of fees
The consultancy fee will be paid in two tranches:
• First tranche (70%) – following the completion of the draft the agreement on international disaster response and submission it to the CESDRR for initial review and consultation.
• Second tranche (30%) – following the presentation of the draft agreement to the CESDRR and the emergency authorities of Central Asian countries.

VI. Time Allocation, for budget purposes
This consultancy is output-based. The estimated timeframe for this consultancy is two months (17 March – 30 May 2025) in accordance with the breakdown of activities below.

VII. Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Ensure the fulfillment of all the Consultancy’s Deliverables outlined in these Terms of Reference in accordance with the agreed Timeframe.
• Draft the 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 Centre for Emergency Response on the basis of the CESDRR.
• Present the draft agreement to the CESDRR and the emergency management authorities of Central Asia for their initial review.
• Synthetize the findings and revise (if needed) the draft agreement and provide it to the CESDRR.
• Provide full list of references and digital copy of legal instruments surveyed

Education

Required:

• Degree in Law

Experience

Required:

• At least 10 years work experience in legal work, in international law
• Substantial experience in legal research and analysis
• Has a good understanding of legal frameworks in Central Asia
• Expertise in drafting legal agreements and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required:

• Excellent writing and verbal skills in Russian and English
• Able to meet deadlines

Preferred:

• This consultancy is open to any nationality
• Experience working on disaster risk management research is preferred
• Experience working in Central Asia is preferred

Applicants are requested to upload the following information/documents in addition to their application (if uploading is not possible, please email to [email protected] and [email protected]):

• Sample written work demonstrating ability in legal research and writing
• Proof of past consultancy or professional fees for the past year (average daily rate in euros)
• Contact details of at least 3 professional references