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Benjamin Ryan

National Biodefense Strategies in Southeast Asian States

By |2023-03-27T10:54:17-10:00March 27th, 2023|

By Deon Canyon[1] and Benjamin Ryan[2] Introduction Emergent infectious diseases are a constant threat to global health security. Southeast Asian (SEA) countries have been particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases due to their geographic location, population density, rapid urbanization, increased development in wildlife areas, and overwhelmed resources. In recent years, the Indo-Pacific region has experienced outbreaks of COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H1N1 influenza, avian influenza, and the Zika virus.[3],[4] These outbreaks have highlighted the need for SEA states to have agile national biodefense and biosurveillance systems and strategies.  Arguably, the SEA region is now the frontline for fighting emerging [...]

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Military and Private Sector HADR – Now a Sophisticated Tool for Strategic Competition

By |2021-09-01T11:49:56-10:00September 1st, 2021|

By Deon K. Canyon [1] Benjamin J. Ryan [2] Introduction The act of offering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) was initially a selfless one with the United Nations principles focusing on addressing human suffering, not taking sides, giving based on need, and being free from influence. There are, of course, many wonderful outcomes under the cooperation umbrella that result from the provision of HADR, regardless of what nation or agency provides the aid. The delivery of HADR by the military has become standard practice, especially in the Indo-Pacific. In this region, proactive efforts to enhance military-to-military and military-civilian integration [...]

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Structuring ASEAN military involvement in disaster management and the ASEAN Militaries Ready Group

By |2020-06-10T13:56:38-10:00June 10th, 2020|

This paper explores the most recent efforts by the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts Working Group on HADR 2017-2020 to support ASEAN’s response capacity with the development and adoption of SOPs for an ASEAN Militaries Ready Group (AMRG). Excerpt: It is clear from the ambitious vision of the One ASEAN, One Response declaration that ASEAN will continue to play an important role in international disaster response and even in conflict and peacekeeping. This vision is articulated in a provision of the foundation documentation for the AMRG which outlines the possibility of the AMRG to serve as a preventive [...]

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COVID-19 Lockdown Easing and Restricting Color Framework for Local Government

By |2020-04-17T17:57:32-10:00April 17th, 2020|

In this paper, Canyon states that “All indications are that many local government areas around the world will experience an extended period of COVID-19 risks and protective measures. The threat imposed by the pandemic demands a systematic approach for restricting and easing a state of lockdown that balances public health, societal, and economic needs. As is typical in a complex crisis, there are no off-the-shelf solutions, and everyone is experimenting and observing others to identify optimal responses regardless of the skeptics.” View/Download Document

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Sending the COVID-19 Immune to Work to Prevent Economic Catastrophe

By |2020-04-22T15:34:50-10:00April 16th, 2020|

Widespread introduction of commercial and societal lockdown practices is helping to flatten the curve of new coronavirus cases, while simultaneously inflicting great harm on our economy and individual finances. The global pandemic continues to spread worldwide, yet business leaders are already exerting pressure on political leaders to adapt protection measures to better protect commercial interests. Crises differ significantly in their duration, but our experience tells us they are always temporary, exceptional, and unusual. Our leaders must be prepared to effectively manage the difficult task of transitioning their communities and their nations out of the crisis and into recovery with the [...]

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Incremental Community-Based Exit Strategies for Initiating and Removing COVID-19 Lockdowns

By |2020-04-22T15:37:51-10:00April 1st, 2020|

Many nations across the Asia-Pacific have implemented guidelines for social distancing and introduced lockdowns to control COVID-19. However, now many leaders face the question of how they will be able to relieve their communities of the protective constraints in place. Who decides when safe is ‘safe enough’, or what level of residual risk is acceptable? Getting this wrong is something no leader can afford. By applying a community-based incremental approach to the easing of lockdowns, tailored to demographic and social stratifications of risk, much of the guesswork can be eliminated. View/Download Document

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