Vietnam's position as Chairman of ASEAN Disaster Management Committee

Within the framework of the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference, on September 20, the Vietnamese delegation was led by the Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. Deputy Minister of MARD Nguyen Hoang Hiep is the head of the delegation and participated in bilateral meetings with ministers from countries such as Australia and India, and the Director of the United Nations Agency for Disaster Risk Reduction. He also participated in discussions on Early Action in Disaster Prevention and Control with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

At the meetings, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep highly appreciated the cooperation of Australia, India, and the United Nations Agency for Disaster Risk Reduction in recent years. He suggests that countries and organizations should continue to support Vietnam, especially in 2023 when Vietnam is the chairman of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management. 

In 2023, Vietnam will be the Chair of the ASEAN Disaster Management Committee. Consequently, at the meeting between the Vietnamese delegation and the Australian Department of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, and Emergency Management, Vietnam asks for the Australian Government’s support in many activities. These activities include international seminars, and training to strengthen the position of  Vietnam's chairmanship in the Southeast Asian bloc. 

Natural disasters with frequency and intensity related to climate change exacerbate vulnerabilities and inequalities for populations with low living conditions. Vietnam has committed to implementing international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Action, promoting the integration of disaster risk management into the Socio-Economic Development Plans at central, local, and sectoral levels.

In the context of the rapid decline in development assistance in Vietnam, UNICEF, and UNDP are the few remaining partners supporting a people-centered approach and building community capacity in disaster risk reduction. 

Consequently, Vietnam proposes the Australian Government and UNICEF, and UNDP accompanies to strengthen the legal and policy framework on disaster risk reduction. Vietnam also proposes the integration of disaster risk management and effectively implements the Sendai Framework of Action.

At the same time, they should strengthen inter-sectoral coordination to ensure integration and coordination in disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and response activities; improve communication strategies on disaster preparedness to the community. The proposal also includes strengthening existing partnerships and developing new ones; promoting community and youth initiatives to increase resilience to disasters; and promoting the application of digital technology in disaster risk reduction.