Minister Le Minh Hoan:Join hands to share misfortune and combine capacity to respond to natural disasters

Bài liên quan

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"Our country of Vietnam, as well as other countries in the ASEAN region and partner countries of China, South Korea, and Japan, are fortunate to be blessed with nature’s beautiful landscapes and rich and diverse natural resources. However, along with great preferences, our region has never stopped suffering from the harsh and persistent rages of nature," Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan opened his speech on October 12, opening the 11^th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management in Quang Ninh.

As Chairman of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMMM) and Chairman of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), the Minister acknowledged that natural disasters are no longer the problem of one country or one area. The natural disaster situation in 2023, with many earthquakes, floods, forest fires, etc., took place catastrophically around the world.

According to the Minister, it is extremely necessary for 10 ASEAN states or 11 countries in the future, with the accession of Timor-Leste, to unite into a bloc, join hands to share misfortune, and unanimously prepare human and material resources and support mechanisms readily.

Recalling the saying "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together", the commander of Vietnam's agriculture sector expressed: "We need to build a community with high resilience and sustainable recovery against natural disasters and catastrophes." This is also the spirit of ASEAN leaders in the Declaration “One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region".

During the year as Chairman of AMMDM, Vietnam has been promoting the theme "From response to early action and increased resilience: ASEAN moves towards the goal of global leadership in natural disaster management." This topic aims to emphasize a new direction in natural disaster management: moving from passive response to proactive prevention and proactive preparation to minimize damage caused by natural disasters.

The year 2023 is an important milestone for ACDM, marking the 20^th anniversary of its establishment. During the year, ACDM achieved many outstanding results, such as adopting the ASEAN Declaration on Sustainable Resilience, the Ha Long Declaration on Strengthening Early Action in Natural Disaster Management, and amending the financial rules of the ASEAN Disaster Management and Emergency Response (ADMER) Fund, etc.

Minister Le Minh Hoan commented: "Through ACDM’s coordination, the work of international cooperation on natural disaster management in the ASEAN region has achieved many achievements and new heights."

Thanks to the presence of the Ministers and Deputy Ministers in charge of natural disaster management in ASEAN countries, Japan, China, and South Korea, the Chairman of AMMDM believes that the response ceremony and the entire meeting today showed the importance and effectiveness of the ASEAN cooperation mechanism on natural disaster management as well as the great concern of partners for ASEAN.

After the event on the morning of October 12, a series of celebrations of ASEAN Day for Disaster Management and International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction will continue to be organized on the morning of October 13 at Bai Chay Primary and Secondary Schools (Quang Ninh).

A series of events were held in Ha Long city, Quang Ninh Province on the anniversary of ASEAN Day for Disaster Management and International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2023.

- October 6: The Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper, in collaboration with the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention and Control, held a press conference to introduce activities during the anniversary week.

- October 8: A jogging race in response to ASEAN Day for Disaster Management was held at Hon Gai Beach, Ha Long city, with the participation of 1,000 athletes.

- October 9: 43^rd Annual Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM)

- October 10: 19^th Meeting of the Governing Board of AHA Centre; the 4^th ASEAN Disaster Resilience Forum.

- October 11: ACDM Plus China, ACDM Plus Japan, and ACDM Plus South Korea Meetings; The 2^nd ASEAN-Japan Public Private Seminar on Innovative Policies and Technologies for Disaster Risk Reduction.

- October 12: 11^th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMMM); AMMDM Plus China, AMMDM Plus Japan, and AMMDM Plus South Korea Meetings.

- October 13: Events in response to ASEAN Day for Disaster Management and International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction will be held at Bai Chay Primary and Secondary Schools, Ha Long City.