The four day event is jointly held by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the host’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

Speaking at the event, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said that the Asia-Pacific region is home to more than half of the world's population, but is considered as a particularly vulnerable region to climate change, with tropical storms increasing in both frequency and intensity.

In that context, the TC plays an increasingly important role in supporting countries to reduce human and asset losses caused by natural disasters, thus contributing to the sustainable development of each nation as well as the entire region, Minister Ha stressed.

Natural disasters are more and more unpredictable.

Keveh Zahedi, UNESCAP’s Deputy Executive Secretary for Sustainable Development, said that the TC’s formation 50 years ago was a visionary initiative to build risk resilience and acts as a hub for building action frameworks.

The four-day event is set to feature a review of the typhoons in 2017, reports by hydrometeorology working groups, an update on the TC’s action strategy for 2017-2021, and discussions on policy building for regional member countries in order to mitigate storm risks and damage.

On the occasion, the committee also honoured a number of nations, meteorological forecast centres, and individuals, which have significantly contributed to its operation to date. The Vietnam Central Hydrometeorological Forecast Centre was awarded with the TC’s Kintanar Award – a prestigious award bestowed on outstanding organisations and individuals.

Established in 1968, the TC is an inter-governmental body aiming to promote and coordinate the planning and implementation of measures required for minimising the loss of life and material damage caused by typhoons in Asia-Pacific.

Vietnam joined the 14-member committee in 1979 and has issued and implemented a range of important policies to facilitate the development of hydro-meteorological activities in the country.