The 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management is expected to adopt many important contents.

Mr. Pham Duc Luan, Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thach, Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper and Ms. Le Ngoc Han, Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Quang Ninh co-chaired the press conference.

At the press conference, representatives of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control introduced an overview of the series of events. Accordingly, from October 8 to 13, 2023, Vietnam will host the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) and related meetings of ACDM, the ASEAN Regional Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disasters (AHA) and activities in response to Vietnam's 2023 Chairmanship and the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction - ASEAN Day for Disaster Management 2023 (October 13, 2023).

According to Pham Duc Luan, Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Southeast Asia is considered a region heavily affected by climate change and is forecast to face increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters. Therefore, “Disaster risk management” is a cooperation content that ASEAN countries have focused on for many years, through many tools and coordination mechanisms.

In particular, Vietnam has been showing itself to be an active and highly prestigious member of ASEAN, in which ASEAN cooperation on Disaster Management is a content of ASEAN cooperation in the Socio-Cultural Community pillar. Currently, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control is the focal agency participating in regional cooperation mechanisms on disaster management.

*Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Pham Duc Luan delivered the opening speech at the press conference.*

According to the rotation order among ASEAN countries, in 2023, Vietnam will assume the position of Chair of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), host the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM), annual meetings of ACDM and organize response activities.

This is both a responsibility and an opportunity for Vietnam to proactively lead, enhance its position, and demonstrate its role in ASEAN cooperation on Disaster Management in particular and in building the ASEAN Community, and relations between ASEAN and its partners in general. In addition, assuming the role of Chair will help Vietnam take advantage of experience and resources from partners and the international community for Vietnam's disaster prevention and control work and actively contribute to building an ASEAN community that is resilient to natural disasters, contributing to the common development of the country and the region.

As expected, the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) will adopt the “Ha Long Declaration on Early Action in ASEAN Disaster Management”. This is an initiative proposed by Vietnam, contributing to creating our country’s mark in the year of performing the ASEAN Chairmanship in disaster management.

In addition, conferences and meetings taking place during the week of October 9-12 will approve the Minutes of the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management, the 12th Meeting of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) and the AMMDM + Korea, AMMDM + China, AMMDM + Japan meetings; Minutes of the 42nd and 43rd annual meetings of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) and related meetings.

At the same time, the above conferences and meetings will approve the Mid-Term Review Report on the implementation of the AADMER Work Programme for the period 2021 - 2025, contributing to the orientation for building the ASEAN Vision on Disaster Management after 2025 as well as the AADMER Work Programme for the period 2025 - 2030.

The 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management was attended by 8 Ministers, 4 Deputy Ministers and more than 140 international delegates who are leaders and officials of disaster prevention and control agencies of 10 ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Regional Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disasters (AHA Centre), ASEAN development partners (including China, Korea, Japan) and a number of international organizations in the region. East Timor attended the conference as an observer.

Series of activities of the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM)

- October 6, 2023: Press conference to introduce the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management and related activities.

- October 8, 2023: The running race in response to ASEAN Disaster Management Day was held at Hon Gai beach, Ha Long city; with the participation of 1,000 athletes.

- October 9-11, 2023: 43rd Annual Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), ACDM + China, ACDM + Japan, ACDM + Korea meetings, 19th Meeting of the AHA Centre Governing Board; 4th ASEAN Forum on Disaster Resilience.

- October 12, 2023: 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM), AMMDM + China, AMMDM + Japan, AMMDM + Korea Conferences.

- October 13, 2023: Event in response to ASEAN Disaster Management Day and International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2023 at Bai Chay Primary and Secondary School (Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province).

Source