Disaster management action: Vietnam supports “one ASEAN, one response” initiative

Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Pham Duc Luan. (Photo: BTC)

Vietnam's natural disaster prevention and control work has achieved many important steps, from perfecting the legal framework, improving forecasting and early warning capacity, enhancing the application of science and technology , to promoting international cooperation and mobilizing community participation, contributing to minimizing damage and improving community resilience to natural disasters.

Therefore, as a focal point participating in regional cooperation mechanisms on disaster risk management, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , Vietnam strongly supports the initiatives of ASEAN and the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster, including the vision of “one ASEAN, one response.”

Together we strengthen our vision and knowledge

Speaking at the “One ASEAN One Response Roadshow” on August 15, Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control - Mr. Pham Duc Luan, said that Vietnam is one of the countries most severely affected by natural disasters, with the frequency and extent of damage increasing due to the impact of climate change.

Every year, natural disasters such as storms, floods, droughts, landslides, saltwater intrusion, etc. cause great loss of life and property, disrupt socio -economic activities and directly affect the livelihoods of millions of people.

However, Mr. Luan also affirmed that Vietnam's natural disaster prevention and control work has achieved many important steps forward, from perfecting the legal framework, improving forecasting and early warning capacity, enhancing the application of science and technology, to promoting international cooperation and mobilizing community participation; contributing to minimizing damage and improving the community's resilience to natural disasters.

Therefore, as the focal point for participating in regional cooperation mechanisms on disaster risk management, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control strongly supports ASEAN initiatives, the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disasters (AHA Center) with the vision of “One ASEAN, One Response.”

In that spirit, Mr. Luan emphasized that the “One ASEAN One Response Roadshow” is an opportunity for ASEAN member countries to strengthen their vision and create a forum for exchanging knowledge and experience related to disaster prevention and control mechanisms at the national, regional and international levels.

Every year, natural disasters such as storms, floods, droughts, landslides, and saltwater intrusion cause great loss of life and property. (Illustrative photo. Photo source: VNA)

Collaborative response, unified risk management

Speaking at the event, EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier also affirmed his support for ASEAN regional cooperation mechanisms on disaster management that Vietnam participates in, and emphasized that the EU, since 2020, has always been ready to support regional initiatives on disaster management.

Typical examples include the ASEAN Emergency Disaster Response Exercise (ARDEX); the development of the ASEAN Joint Disaster Response Plan (AJDRP); the operation of the Disaster Information Management Network (AIM-Net) and the “One ASEAN One Response Roadshow” program, etc. These support activities demonstrate the European Union’s strong commitment to disaster risk management and capacity building of countries.

Mr. Sithu Pe Thein - AHA Center's Operations Director said that ASEAN is one of the regions most affected by natural disasters in the world, with challenges to the response capacity of member countries as well as the spirit of coordination and mutual support. In particular, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami disaster was an important "milestone", promoting the formation of a regional ASEAN disaster management and emergency response mechanism.

In addition, major natural disasters such as Cyclone Nargis in 2008 or Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 continued to challenge the above mechanisms and affirmed the commitment of ASEAN leaders through the “One ASEAN, One Response” Statement in 2016, emphasizing ASEAN’s response to natural disasters as a unified bloc, both within and outside the region.

It is essential that stakeholders in each ASEAN member state understand the regional mechanism and their roles, and clarify how domestic actors can participate and support the regional response. This is also the objective of the “One ASEAN, One Response” Roadshow today in Vietnam.

At the program, delegates listened to presentations introducing an overview of disaster prevention and control in Vietnam; cooperation mechanisms and joint efforts of the ASEAN region in disaster risk management, with the coordinating role of the AHA Center; and the participation of the United Nations in regional cooperation mechanisms.

Delegates also participated in exchanges and discussions on coordination within the framework of regional cooperation on disaster management./.

Vietnamplus.vn

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hanh-dong-quan-ly-thien-tai-viet-nam-ung-ho-sang-kien-mot-asean-mot-ung-pho-post1055915.vnp