Friday, June 18, 2010
Viet Nam: National Platform for DRR and CCA on track
Vietnam sought international experience in setting up a national platform for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation at a consultative meeting in Hanoi on June 17 to meet a roadmap deadline in August.
The meeting was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) with support from the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).
Dao Xuan Hoc, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said through this meeting Vietnam expected to draw experience from other countries in establishing such a platform to work out effective policies, programmes and action plans.
He highlighted Vietnam ’s great efforts in this field over the past years such as issuing a number of legal documents on disaster control, launching relevant projects and applying advanced technology transferred by other countries.
“Though it has yet to establish a national platform under the definition of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Vietnam has effectively conducted a number of relevant works in association with foreign partners,” Hoc added.
Vietnam is scheduled to launch consultations on the future platform among relevant ministries and agencies in July and submit the final draft to the Government in August, according to a roadmap prepared by the Disaster Management Centre.
The Coordinator of the UNISDR Asian-Pacific Region, Jerry Velasquez, recognised great efforts made by Vietnam in reducing disaster risks and adapting to climate change in coordination with foreign partners. He called on relevant parties and national coordinating agencies to focus on the five-priority Hyogo framework for action for the 2005-15 period, placing disaster risk reduction a national priority.
The Head of the Indonesian National Platform Executive Board, Krishna Pribadi, said social organisations played a very important role in assisting platform activities. It was necessary to conduct dialogues with the business circle and establish partnership with donors from as many as possible other countries, the Indonesian official said.