Delegates from 21 APEC-member economies and non-APEC organisations met at the 12th meeting of the APEC Emergency Preparedness Working Group (EPWG) on August 21, 2017, in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNS/ An Phương)

Over the past decade, the Asia-Pacific region has suffered 1,700 natural disasters, 40% of the world’s total. Nearly 500,000 people have died and 1.4 billion people, 80% of the world’s population, have been drastically affected. Material losses totaled 520 billion USD, 45% of the disaster losses worldwide.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said: “The Asia-Pacific region has about 3 billion people, 40% of the world’s population. It’s the region most affected by natural disasters in the world. Extreme weather due to climate change has outpaced forecasts.”

An Emergency Preparedness Working Group (EPWG) comprised of senior experts from 21 APEC members was established. Besides developing new technology to cope with natural disasters, APEC has sought financial and insurance solutions for natural disaster risks within APEC. The 11^th EPWG meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday proposed cooperative programs to enhance investment effectiveness in rural areas and help victims of natural disasters recover. Vietnam, the host country of APEC 2017, recommended setting up criteria to safeguard communities from disasters.

Le Quang Tuan, Head of the General Department of Natural Disaster Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “Vietnam wants to work with the other 21 APEC countries to enhance coordination, innovation, and scientific and technological solutions to cope with natural disasters.”

Vietnam, one of the countries most affected by natural disasters, greatly values international cooperation in this field. Vietnam deems it a primary task to work with other APEC members on climate change response and building a peaceful, stable, prosperous Asia-Pacific region.