ULAANBAATAR, 4 July 2018 – ASEAN’s Deputy Secretary-General for Socio-Cultural Community, H.E. Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee , reaffirmed ASEAN strong commitment to reduce and prevent disaster risks, through various engagements at the 2018 Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) held on 3 – 6 July 2018 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
In his official statement, the Deputy Secretary-General highlighted various dimensions of disaster risk reduction, such as gender mainstreaming, risk-informed shock responsive social protection, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk financing insurance. He also emphasize the importance of forging a truly integrated and holistic approach of disaster risk governance, with a view to foster the culture of resilience and care for the environment in the region.
ASEAN is currently the 6th largest global economy with the 3rd largest labour force and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$ 2.55 trillion or 6.2 percent of the global GDP. The region’s development, however, is under constant threat from various natural hazards in the form of storms, floods, volcanoes, and earthquakes.
Consistent with the theme of AMCDRR 2018 on “Preventing Disaster Risk: Protecting Sustainable Development’’ and to protect and sustain the development achieved by its Member States, ASEAN emphasized the mutually reinforcing nature of disaster risk and sustainable development, and noted that disaster risk reduction would be better achieved through enhancing innovative and preventive approaches, as well as public-private partnership.
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