Asia Pacific works together to address natural calamities

More than 100 delegates from across the Asia Pacific region gathered at a regional forum held in Hanoi on July 2 to discuss a cooperation model among governments, businesses and charities in coping with natural disasters.
More than 100 delegates from across the Asia Pacific region gathered at a regional forum held in Hanoi on July 2 to discuss a cooperation model among governments, businesses and charities in coping with natural disasters.

The Asia-Pacific region suffers from frequent natural disasters which cause great losses in both human lives and properties, heard the conference, with the outstanding example of the earthquake in Nepal recently. In Vietnam, more than two million people are affected by storms each year.

Richard Welford, Chairman of Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia (CSR), stated that major attention should be shifted from enterprise involvement in preparing for response to disasters to sound coordination through the model.

The best results will be reached once the capability of each side is utilised to the best, he noted.

According to Prudence Foundation Executive Director Marc Fancy, the model is expected to produce sustainable outcomes.

A forum document on effective cooperation measures will be published regionally in September.

This is the third time CSR and Prudence Foundation have co-organised the annual forum. Previously, it took place in Jakarta, Indonesia and Manila, the Philippines with a focus on the role of business communities in the prevention of and remedies for natural disasters.-VNA

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