ASEAN, China steps up establishment of centre for emergency management cooperation

The second ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management in Bangkok, Thailand (Source: asean.org)

Hanoi (VNA) - The second ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM Plus China) has reiterated the commitment to pursue the establishment of the ASEAN-China Centre for Emergency Management Cooperation (ACCEMC) in Guangxi, China.

Participants in the event, held in the Thai capital of Bangkok on October 20, agreed to commence negotiations on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the ACCEMC.

At the first AMMDM Plus China, held virtually on October 14 last year, the two sides adopted the ASEAN-China Work Plan on Disaster Management, outlining the shared priorities to contribute to the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response Work Programme 2021-2025, including in disaster risk reduction, prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

The establishment of the ACCEMC would serve as a key deliverable in the ASEAN-China Work Plan on Disaster Management, especially in contributing to the areas of capacity building and facilitating exchanges in knowledge and experience. The centre is expected to be synergised and complement the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), which is the primary ASEAN regional coordinating agency on disaster management and emergency response.

The second AMMDM Plus China was co-chaired by Thai Vice Minister of Interior Nadhapit Snidvongs on behalf of the AMMDM Chair in 2022, and Chinese Vice Minister of Emergency Management Zhou Xuewen./.

VNA