ASEAN ministers discuss enhancing disaster-resilient infrastructure development

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Mane addresses the 13th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) and the 14th Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER). (Photo: AKP/VNA)

Phnom Penh (VNA) – The 13th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) and the 14th Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) were convened on October 15, 2025, in Phnom Penh, under the chair of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.

Addressing the opening ceremony, PM Hun Manet called on ASEAN member states to strengthen long-term resilience by rebuilding and developing climate-resilient infrastructure in both urban and rural areas. He noted that various forms of natural disasters continue to pose serious challenges for all countries in the region.

As Chairman of Cambodia’s National Committee for Disaster Management, he stressed that even small-scale disasters can have lasting impacts on people and communities, while the growing threats posed by climate change have made disasters more frequent, intense, and unpredictable. He cited recent earthquakes, floods, and tropical storms that have caused heavy casualties and widespread damage across the region.

The Cambodian leader underlined that beyond emergency response and humanitarian assistance, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should place stronger emphasis on building robust infrastructure and improving disaster management capacity. He also highlighted the disparities in financial, material, and human resources among member states, which require greater regional cooperation and mutual support.

Senior Minister in Charge of Special Missions Kun Kim, who is also First Vice President of Cambodia’s National Committee for Disaster Management, said the meetings are reviewing the progress of regional disaster management and humanitarian assistance efforts and discuss next steps to further strengthen ASEAN’s collective resilience to disasters.

The four-day events, taking place from October 13 to 17, also focus on several key issues, including the AADMER Work Programme 2026–2030 and the ASEAN Ministerial Declaration on 20 Years of the AADMER: ASEAN’s vision of global leadership in disaster resilience./.

VNA