ASEAN Ministers look to One ASEAN, One Response in disaster management

The meeting brought together eight ministers, four deputy ministers and more than 140 international delegates of natural disaster prevention and control agencies of 10 ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), ASEAN dialogue partners (China, Republic of Korea, Japan) and a number of international organizations in the region.

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan noted that ASEAN is one of the most dynamic and developing regions in the world, but it also faces many challenges due to climate change and natural disasters.

Over the years, disasters such as tsunamis, super storms, historic floods, and strong earthquakes have taken the lives of many people in ASEAN countries, destroying the recorded fruits and dragging down the development of many places, he said.

Being aware of these challenges, he stated ASEAN countries have worked together to formulate and deploy cooperation mechanisms in an attempt to mitigate the disasters and ensure sustainable development.

Among the cooperation mechanisms, ASEAN countries have increased information sharing, established networking channels at all levels, and devised programmes on training and dissemination of advanced approaches.

They have also signed agreements to better respond to natural disasters together through close and effective support mechanisms such as ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme, and ASEAN Disaster management and Response Fund, as well as cooperation mechanisms with major and important partners of the grouping towards One ASEAN, One Response.

ASEAN leaders, during their 28th summit in Laos in 2016 agreed to materialise "One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region" to achieve faster response, mobilise greater resources and establish stronger coordination to ensure ASEAN's collective response to disasters.

By upholding the spirit of solidarity, strengthening strategic trust, sincere cooperation in the spirit of equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefit, and with determination and responsibility, Hoan expressed his belief that ASEAN countries would overcome challenges of climate change and natural disasters, protect the recorded fruits, and help ASEAN to become a developed, prosperous and safe region in the world.

He voiced Vietnam’s commitment to doing its best and engaging more actively with ASEAN countries in formulating and effectively implementing common cooperation mechanisms on natural disaster management.

Vietnam is chairing the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) themed “From Response to early Action and Strengthening Resilience - ASEAN Moves Towards the Goal of Global Leadership in Natural Disaster Management" from October 8 to 13.

A number meetings and conferences are being held during the 6-day gathering, including an annual meeting of the 43rd ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), ACDM+ meetings with China, Republic of Korea and Japan, a meeting of the Governing Board of the AHA Centre, the fourth ASEAN Disaster Resilience Forum, the 11th Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM), and AMMDM+ meetings with China, Republic of Korea and Japan.

The 11th AMMDM is expected to adopt the Vietnam-initiated Ha Long Declaration on Early Action in ASEAN Disaster Management that focuses on risk information, forecasts and early warning systems; planning, operations and implementation; and leveraging pre-arranged financial resources for emergency response.

The meeting will also ratify the protocol of the 11th AMMDM, protocol of the 42nd and 43rd ACDM annual meetings and other related events.