Vietnam and the United Nations strengthen cooperation in disaster prevention and mitigation

Strengthening early warning systems and support for responding to Storm No. 9

On September 24, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep met with Ms. Pauline Tamesis, the UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam.

Appreciating the role of disaster risk reduction partners, the Deputy Minister emphasized that their contributions have helped Vietnam enhance its emergency response capacity and disaster resilience. Therefore, Vietnam hopes the United Nations will continue to provide deeper support, particularly in developing databases and improving weather forecasting capabilities.

Regarding Storm No. 9 (Ragasa) approaching northern Vietnam, the Deputy Minister expressed concern about the risk of heavy rain and strong winds in the northern mountainous areas, which could cause local disruptions. Therefore, ensuring food, drinking water, and sanitation in isolated terrains is extremely urgent.

“The lessons fromTyphoon Yagi remain highly valuable, especially the application of the UN’s methodological framework, which has made assessment, planning, and relief efforts more accurate and timely. These are precious experiences for Vietnam to preserve for future generations,” emphasized Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep. “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the United Nations and Ms. Pauline for accompanying us through this process.”

During this period, many international partners, particularly UNICEF, have promptly provided clean water, containers, food, and chemicals to affected communities. Vietnam has requested that Ms. Pauline, in her role as UN Resident Coordinator, continue to connect and share information with international organizations to jointly support ongoing efforts.

“Experience in responding to super typhoons shows that village heads play a key role in directing evacuations, helping to minimize human losses. We encourage the United Nations to collaborate on programs that enhance knowledge, skills, and responsibility for these leaders, so that such actions become common practice. From there, we can jointly build a long-term strategy to strengthen community leadership in disaster prevention and response,” emphasized Mr. Hiep.

In addition, the government is studying the development of a network of relief warehouses to enable more proactive support for the population. Therefore, Vietnam hopes the United Nations will accompany the country in designing a long-term strategy to establish local stockpiles, contributing to more effective emergency relief, minimizing losses, and ensuring community welfare.

Listening to Vietnam’s proposals, Ms. Pauline Tamesis, the UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, acknowledged the timely and effective leadership of the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in disaster response.

“Disaster risk reduction partners are always ready to provide support based on the needs and priorities identified by Vietnam. I will relay this information to UNICEF leadership and other international partners regarding Vietnam’s support needs for Storms No. 9 and 10. If reserves are available, we will assist with immediate deployment,” she affirmed.

United Nations launches comprehensive contingency plan

Coordinator Pauline further shared that the United Nations is developing a Comprehensive Contingency Plan in Vietnam, focusing on responses to sudden flooding caused by storms, based on 10 years of tropical storm data and lessons learned from Storm Yagi.

With the principles of multi-sector coordination, inclusiveness, and strong national consensus, the plan aims to enhance the readiness of disaster risk reduction partners, ensure alignment with the Government of Vietnam’s priorities, and enable immediate post-disaster deployment.

“I will promptly relay information to leadership and partners regarding the need to strengthen disaster prevention activities and reinforce early warning systems in Vietnam. In the initial phase, I recommend focusing on training to enhance governance capacity at the commune and local levels, followed by scaling up with long-term strategies. We will begin implementation immediately using the current Contingency Plan,” emphasized the UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Hiep extended an invitation to UN Resident Coordinator Pauline Tamesis to attend and speak at two upcoming important events: the EX-COORES 2025 Multinational Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise, and the Ceremony in Observance of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and ASEAN Disaster Management Day.

Deputy Minister Hiep expressed confidence that, with her experience and commitment, Ms. Pauline would provide insightful and inspiring contributions at both events, helping to promote international cooperation and raise community awareness on disaster risk reduction.

Expressing her pleasure at the invitation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, UN Resident Coordinator Pauline affirmed that she would share experiences, multilateral response cooperation models, and messages from Vietnamese leadership with the international community. “Through the Ceremony in Observance of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, I hope to inspire Vietnamese youth to actively contribute to the safety and sustainable development of the country,” she said.