Funded by the European Union (E.U.)’s E.U. - SAHA Project, the event drew officials from Vietnamese ministries and agencies, disaster management bodies from ASEAN member states, the AHA Center, the ASEAN Secretariat, and international and non-governmental organizations.
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Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention Pham Duc Luan (Photo: Organizing panel) |
Chairing the event, Director of the department Pham Duc Luan underscored Vietnam’s vulnerability to natural disasters, which have grown in frequency and severity due to climate change. Storms, floods, droughts, landslides, and saltwater intrusion inflict heavy human and economic losses annually, disrupting socio-economic activities and threatening millions of livelihoods.
According to him, Vietnam has made strides in disaster prevention and control in recent years, including a stronger legal framework, enhanced early-warning systems, adoption of advanced technologies, expanded international cooperation, and greater community engagement. These efforts, he said, have curbed losses and bolstered resilience across communities.
As the national focal point for regional disaster risk management cooperation, the department strongly supports ASEAN and AHA Center initiatives, including the "One ASEAN, One Response" vision, Luan said, describing the roadshow as a platform to share knowledge and experience in disaster prevention and control at global, regional, and national levels.
E.U. Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier affirmed support for the ASEAN disaster management cooperation mechanisms involving Vietnam. Since 2020, the E.U. has funded regional initiatives such as the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX), the ASEAN Joint Disaster Response Plan (AJDRP), the AHA Center Information Management Network (AIM-Net), and the “One ASEAN, One Response” Roadshow.
AHA Center Operations Director Sithu Pe Thein noted that ASEAN remains one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions, with challenges to both national response capacity and regional cooperation. He emphasized the need for stakeholders in each member state to understand ASEAN mechanisms, their roles, and how domestic actors could contribute to regional disaster response.
Participants listened to presentations on Vietnam’s disaster prevention efforts, ASEAN’s collective disaster risk management mechanisms under the AHA Center’s coordination, and the United Nations’ engagement. Discussions also focused on enhancing coordination within ASEAN’s disaster management framework.
The “One ASEAN, One Response” Roadshow, an annual AHA Center initiative, is held in partnership with ASEAN member states to raise public awareness and support for the bloc’s shared vision and action framework for disaster management.
Source: VNA