ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) STATEMENT ON AGENDA ITEM 75: STRENGTHENING COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AND DISASTER RELIEF ASSISTANCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS, INCLUDING SPECIAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE AT THE 73RD SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 14 DECEMBER 2018

Mr President,

1.            I have the honour to speak on behalf of the ten Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

2.            We thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports on current efforts and progress made towards strengthening coordination of humanitarian assistance, as well as the trends and challenges in the global humanitarian landscape.

3.            We note, in particular, the continued challenges faced by the United Nations humanitarian system in ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of humanitarian assistance with overstretched capacities and resources. 

4.            ASEAN takes this opportunity to join others in commending the work of the UN system, in particular the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in coordinating and providing humanitarian and disaster relief assistance, oftentimes in the most difficult of situations.

5.            In this connection, we encourage the UN system to strengthen partnerships with regional organizations in order to effectively provide humanitarian assistance while adhering to the principles of neutrality, humanity, impartiality and independence.

6.            The ASEAN region is experiencing a rise in complex emergencies and human-induced disasters. It is also highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The impacts of these disasters risk reversing the gains made toward the realisation of an ASEAN Community 2025 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

7.            Building a disaster-resilient and safer ASEAN community is, therefore, a key priority for our region. Our strategy and vision towards this goal is anchored in the ASEAN Vision 2025 on disaster management and  ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region.

8.            At the core of its efforts is the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (the A.H.A. Centre), which serves as the primary coordinating body on disaster management and emergency response.

9.            Over the past seven years, the A.H.A. Centre has played a critical role in facilitating ASEAN’s collective response to 30 emergencies. More recently, it has responded to multiple natural disasters in the region and provided assistance for communities affected by Tropical Storm Son-Tinh and flooding in Lao PDR and Myanmar, Typhoon Mangkut in northern Philippines; earthquake in Lombok, and the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi Province,Indonesia. Furthermore, ASEAN Member States have coordinated and contributed humanitarian assistance through the A.H.A. Centre to other emergencies in the region.

10.         The A.H.A. Centre mobilises the regional stockpile under the Disaster Emergency Logistic System for ASEAN and coordinates with various partners and stakeholders to provide additional support to communities affected by the disaster, such as the rapid deployment of the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team to support rapid assessments on the ground and facilitate ASEAN’s response and international assistance to the affected areas.

11.         Beyond ASEAN, we are also working very closely with our Dialogue Partners in the Asia-Pacific region through several processes; namely the ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and Military Medicine Exercise; and the ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief Exercise which brings together the largest civilian – military personnel and assets in the region.

12.         Disaster risk reduction and management also features prominently in ASEAN’s comprehensive partnership with the United Nations. And we look forward to enhancing our collaboration through the implementation of the ASEAN-UN Joint Strategic Plan of Action on Disaster Management, and increased interoperability between the ASEAN Secretary-General, as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, to respond to complex disaster situations.

Mr President,

13.         ASEAN is seeking to position itself as a global leader in disaster management by 2025 (as encapsulated in the ASEAN 2025 Vision on Disaster Management). It is also the fervent hope of ASEAN and its Member States that national and regional efforts will continue to complement and contribute positively to the work of the United Nations system.

14.         We stand ready to share the lessons learnt and experiences gained with member states, regional and global partners with a view to effectively and swiftly responding to future humanitarian and disaster relief needs.

I thank you, Mr President.

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