The 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management held on October 12 in Vietnam’s Ha Long City. ASEAN
ASEAN reiterated its commitment to strengthening its proactive actions in emergency response planning in an attempt to safeguard people, property and livelihoods from harm and lessen the loss and damage caused by disasters in the region.
The commitment came during the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management held on October 12 in Vietnam’s Ha Long City. The meeting’s outcomes were detailed in a press release on October 30.
According to the statement, ASEAN aims to be at the forefront of transforming the crisis management landscape by 2025, as part of its Vision 2025 on disaster management.
The bloc is focusing on a multi-layered governance approach that prioritises people, is cross-sectoral, financially sustainable and promotes innovation.
Indonesia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023 is highlighted by the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”, which supports the bloc’s ambition to be more adaptive, responsive and competitive, particularly in building a disaster-resilient bloc that promotes development informed by risk assessment.
The statement reaffirmed support for the ASEAN framework on anticipatory action in disaster contingency coordination, aiming to enhance and broaden the application of proactive measures to minimise disaster-related losses across member states.
ASEAN is also advocating for anticipatory action on a global scale, to expedite the application of international agreements, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The bloc has committed to advancing risk information systems and early warning mechanisms at both regional and national levels. Efforts to bolster the capacities of member states and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre) are ongoing, with a particular focus on improving disaster monitoring, response systems and information networks.
The ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) has been urged to incorporate proactive action triggers into its risk assessments. Both the ACDM and the AHA Centre are encouraged to investigate ways to improve data sharing and to enhance capacity for impact-based forecasting and inclusive early warning systems.
As per the statement, the declaration on “One ASEAN, One Response” underlines the necessity to refine planning, operations and the delivery of anticipatory actions at all levels. The two groups are tasked with integrating regional planning for preparedness into a comprehensive strategy, considering aspects such as gender equality, disability and social inclusion.
ASEAN is also promoting the concept of pre-arranged finance to ensure successful emergency response planning. The bloc is also focused on strengthening financial resilience through inter-sectoral cooperation on risk financing and insurance, supporting regional initiatives in disaster management, as per the press release.
