Vietnamese Ambassador Duong Chi Dung (Source: VNA) Geneva (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador Duong Chi Dung highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in natural disaster mitigation and climate change response in his speech to a discussion session as part of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS) in Geneva, Switzerland on June 23.
Dung, who is also head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the UN, World Trade Organisation and other international organisations, said Vietnam has enforced the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the national action plan on climate change response, the national strategy for natural disaster prevention, response and mitigation until 2020, green growth strategy and renewable energy development strategy until 2030, as well as shared experience in building an early-warning and flood forecast system, and search and rescue.
He called international attention to humanitarian issues arising from impacts of El Nino/La Nina that resulted in serious drought, flooding and saline intrusion in Vietnam and many other countries.
Reiterating Vietnam’s strong commitments to response to climate change, Dung stressed that the involvement of people from all backgrounds and strong international support are crucially important so that not any nation, region, community and individual are left behind in the regard.
According to him, Vietnam has been recognised as one of the most active members in the UN Development Progamme (UNDP)’s Response to El Nino and La Nina.
Participants looked into humanitarian search and rescue in high-risk and affected areas, responsibilities of authorities and parties concerned, and respect to international law and relevant regulations.
This year, more than 141 million people in 37 countries need the UN humanitarian assistance with a budget amounting to 23.5 billion USD, 6.2 billion USD of which has been raised from philanthropists.
Since 1998, the HAS has provided an important platform for participants to discuss investment attraction and coordination for the UN’s humanitarian assistance activities.
ECOSOC is one of the six UN bodies in charge of sustainable economic, social and environment development.
Vietnam is one of the 54 ECOSOC members during the 2016-2018 tenure.-VNA
VNA
