Vietnam, together with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, co-chaired the 23rd ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief. (Photo: Bao Chi)

As part of the 2024–2025 inter-sessional work plan, on June 4-5, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, together with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, co-chaired the 23rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief in a hybrid format (in-person and virtual).

The meeting brought together representatives from ARF member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, and a number of young environmental activists from Sri Lanka.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, Director-General of the ASEAN Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Public Security, Agriculture and Environment.

During the meeting, delegates focused on reviewing regional cooperation in disaster relief. In light of increasingly erratic weather patterns and the rising frequency and intensity of natural disasters such as storms and floods, delegates agreed on the need to further strengthen regional cooperation. Priorities include capacity building, enhancing preparedness, risk reduction, and improving coordination between military and civilian forces in humanitarian relief.

Participants also agreed to make effective use of existing regional cooperation mechanisms and frameworks, including ASEAN and ARF.

Delegates attending the meeting pose for a group photo. (Photo: Bao Chi)

Countries shared their national experiences in disaster response and relief efforts, ranging from the development of policy and legal frameworks, institutional arrangements, to the deployment of personnel, vehicles, and equipment during emergency situations.

On this occasion, representatives from Russia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka also shared their experiences participating in relief efforts in Myanmar following the earthquake on March 28.

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Within the ARF framework, delegates noted progress in implementing disaster relief cooperation activities under the ARF Hanoi Plan of Action II (2020-2025) and the ARF Work Plan on Disaster Relief (2024-2027), reflecting a shared commitment among ARF participants in this priority area.

As co-chair of the meeting, the Vietnamese delegation actively coordinated and contributed several important directions. Vietnam emphasized the need to enhance coordination and connectivity between regional mechanisms involved in disaster relief, ensuring complementarity and mutual support. The delegation also called for strengthened coordination among countries in conducting international relief efforts, including the resumption of joint ARF disaster relief exercises.

Vietnam proposed a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of the ARF Hanoi Plan of Action II, including disaster relief components, to serve as a basis for developing ARF’s action plan for the next phase.

On this occasion, representatives from the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Agriculture, and Environment delivered presentations sharing Vietnam’s experiences and best practices in improving preparedness and emergency relief. They also offered key recommendations to enhance regional cooperation, which were welcomed and highly appreciated by the meeting participants.

The ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief is one of five ARF inter-sessional groups focusing on the Forum’s priority areas[1]. Vietnam, together with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, currently co-chairs the ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief for the 2024-2027 period.

[1] In addition to disaster relief, ARF inter-sessional groups also focus on maritime security, ICT security, counter-terrorism and transnational crime, and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.