Singapore convened a series of key humanitarian assistance and disaster relief forums and exercises, bringing together military and civilian partners across the region to enhance preparedness and coordination.
Singapore hosted three major Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) engagements over the past week, strengthening regional and international cooperation in disaster preparedness and response. The events brought together participants from militaries, academia, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and the private sector, reflecting collective commitment towards humanitarian coordination.
Held from 27 to 28 October 2025, the 4th Humanitarian Futures Forum (HFF) 2025 was co-organised by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and the Changi Regional HADR Coordination Centre (Changi RHCC). More than 160 participants from 33 militaries and various civil organisations discussed future trends in humanitarian operations, including digital humanitarian tools, adaptive responses to emerging challenges, and expanded civil-military partnerships.
Image by: Singapore Ministry of Defence
From 31 October to 1 November, Singapore and New Zealand jointly convened the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus Experts’ Working Group on HADR Conference on Disaster Relief in the Context of Climate Change. Delegates examined ways to enhance disaster preparedness amid climate risks, strengthen climate resilience through defence cooperation, and refine military-military and civil-military coordination frameworks. A dedicated workshop was also held to support Timor-Leste’s HADR capacity-building priorities.
In addition, Exercise Coordinated Response (Ex COORES), Changi RHCC’s flagship table-top exercise, was conducted during the same period. The exercise enabled participating agencies to rehearse coordination protocols, share operational insights and improve readiness for regional disaster scenarios.
Together, the three events underscored Singapore’s ongoing commitment to strengthening regional disaster resilience and fostering practical cooperation among defence forces, emergency responders and humanitarian organisations.
Source: Singapore Ministry of Defence
