The National Forecast-based Financing Dialogue Platform in Hanoi on November 4 (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The National Forecast-based Financing (FbF) DialoguePlatform was held in Hanoi on November 4 by the Vietnam Red Cross Society(VNRC), German Red Cross and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
This year, the forum aims to gather and establish a network of agencies,departments, experts, scientists and gain a common understanding of how FbF cancontribute to the Government's efforts to improve community resilience tonatural disasters. It provides opportunities for participants to share andexchange experiences on FbF among domestic and international agencies and organisationsand develop a roadmap towards the institutionalisation of the FbF approach in Vietnam.
Speaking at the event, VNRC President Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu said that Vietnam isone of the countries most frequently affected by natural disasters and globalclimate change. Every year, about 300 people die and go missing due to naturaldisasters, causing economic losses of around 1 to 1.5 percent of the country’sGDP.
The FbF approach aims to optimise the application of technology, data and weatherforecast information from the global network into actions and early responsebefore disasters occur to protect lives, assets and livelihoods of vulnerablegroups, said Thu.
FbF is an effective approach to improving the resilience of the community tonatural disasters, while also promoting cooperation among scientists, nationalgovernments, research institutes and the private sector in improving theeffectiveness of forecasting, preparedness and response to increasing naturaldisaster risks, she added.
Since 2017, the VNRC has applied a new FbF approach by implementing a pilotproject on early response to heat waves in Hanoi and Da Nang and developing anaction plan on financial support based on forecasts and supporting 21 provincesand cities to develop a forecast map of the impact of natural disasters./.
VNA
