New ASEAN chief calls for more disaster management efforts
ASEAN should intensify its disaster management efforts after the region was recently hit by several deadly storms, emphasised ASEAN’s new Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi.
Storm Tembin which hit the Philippines in December left tens of thousands displaced (Source: VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – ASEAN should intensify its disaster managementefforts after the region was recently hit by several deadly storms, emphasisedASEAN’s new Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi.
"Ourregion is disaster-prone," Lim said at his inauguration ceremony atASEAN's Secretariat in Jakarta.
"This underscores the need to strengthenASEAN cooperation in disaster management and humanitarian assistance," hestressed.
Earlier, thegroup focused mainly on regional diplomacy and economic growth.
Now it istime for the group to be more proactive and improve its capability indisaster-relief efforts, Lim stated.
Memberstates have to be responsible for strengthening resilience through disasterrisk reduction interventions, climate change adaptation strategies andconservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and natural resources,he added.
Last month,tropical storm Tembin battered the southern Philippines, leaving at least 240dead and tens of thousands displaced.
Also in themonth, typhoon Cempaka pounded Indonesia's main island of Java and killed atleast 41 people, with tens of thousands forced from their homes by severeflooding and landslides.
The ASEANsecretary-general serves a non-renewed term of five years with the postrotating among member states.
Lim takesover from Vietnam's Le Luong Minh whose working tenure ended on December 31,2017.-VNA
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Storm Tembin which hit the Philippines in December left tens of thousands displaced (Source: VNA)
