The 42nd annual conference of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) and its related meetings were held in Da Nang on the morning of June 13. This event was hosted by Vietnam, which assumed the ACDM chairmanship for 2023.

The conference and its related meetings were attended by ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Ekkaphab Phanthavong, as well as over 60 international delegates, including leaders and officials from the disaster management agencies of ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Center), ASEAN's development partners (including China, South Korea, and Japan), and various international organizations in the region. Timor-Leste participated as an observer at the conference.

At the conference, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, highlighted that in the first six months of 2023, there had been an alarming rise in the occurrence of meteorological and hydrological disasters in many ASEAN countries. The recent devastating impact of Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for ASEAN member countries to intensify their efforts in mitigating disaster risks.

In its role as the Chair of the ACDM in 2023, Vietnam is actively promoting the theme for the ACDM chairmanship year, which focuses on "From Response to Anticipatory Action and Resilience: ASEAN's Journey towards Global Leadership in Disaster Management." This theme highlights the shift in the disaster management approach, emphasizing proactive prevention rather than a passive response.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, speaks at the conference.

2023 is also a crucial year for the ACDM as it commemorates its 20th anniversary since its inception. Two decades ago, the trailblazers laid the foundation for the establishment of the ACDM, which involved the creation of National Disaster Management Offices in all ASEAN member countries, to provide strategic guidance and foster regional cooperation in the realm of disaster management.

Mr. Hiep stated that 2023 marks the midpoint evaluation of the ARDEX (ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise) program for the 2021-2025 period. Vietnam has undertaken a mid-term evaluation of the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. One of the key aspects emphasized is the significance of having a strong legal framework for effective disaster risk management.

The 42nd ACDM Conference focused on various topics, including the progress update on the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) program for the 2021-2025 period; the review of the development and implementation progress of regional cooperation documents, mechanisms, and activities in disaster management, such as the ASEAN regional strategy for post-disaster recovery (2023-2024); the ASEAN Youth Initiative for a Disaster-Resilient Region; ASEAN Disaster Risk Communication Framework; the financial regulations of the ASEAN Disaster Management and Emergency Response Fund; the preparations for the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX) in 2023, scheduled to take place in Indonesia.

The opening segment showcases a sand art performance that commemorates the 20th anniversary of the ACDM's establishment.

Alongside the main activities, several related meetings will take place on June 14 and 15. These include the 18th Meeting of the AHA Center Governing Board, the 3rd ASEAN Forum on Disaster Resilience, and the annual meetings between ACDM and China (3rd meeting), Japan (5th meeting), and South Korea (4th meeting). Additionally, an anticipatory action simulation exercise will be conducted in Binh Hai Commune in Thang Binh District, Quang Nam Province, and a visit to the mangrove forest in Quang Ngai Province is also scheduled.