Statement by Mr. Duong Hoai Nam, Representative of  Viet Nam,

at the Second Committee of the 62^nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly

 Agenda Item: 56 (c): International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

New York, 29 October 2007

 

Madam Chair,

My delegation aligns itself with the statement made earlier by the representative of Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and wishes to take this opportunity to highlight some issues of our interest.

Madam Chair,

As we are aware, natural disasters and hazards are a multifaceted and immediate global challenge. Statistics have shown that, over the past 30 years, the number of disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and droughts has increased threefold. There is no longer any serious scientific doubt about what is happening as natural disasters and other climate-related hazards evidently have taken hundreds of thousands of lives and plunged millions of people into homelessness, hunger and poverty, especially those in developing countries, where the world’s poorest are also the most vulnerable. The challenge before us is formidable and we, therefore, must act with urgency and strong determination.

Viet Nam is pleased to note that natural disasters recently have  been given special attention they merit by the United Nations and the international community. The First Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction held in June this year in Geneva is a vivid case in point. For a sustainable long-term solution to disaster risk reduction to be achieved, Viet Nam holds that decisive action on a global scale is imperative and it must be pursued in the context of the international development agenda. We have to move forward together to implement the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, which sets clear priorities to strengthen the resilience of nations and communities to disasters, and work in partnership to integrate International Strategy for Disaster Reduction into our national sustainable development strategies and other development plans in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy, bio-fuel use, forest coverage, diffusion and transfer of clean and low-carbon technologies.

Madam Chair,

My delegation commends the Secretary-General on his determination to have the entire UN system contribute to the effort of disaster reduction and climate change. Viet Nam is of the view that we must continue to strengthen the institutional pillars that support disaster risk reduction through reinforcing our partnerships between government and non-governmental organizations, and between the public and private sectors. In this connection, the United Nations should play a leading role in making the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction system a real multi-stakeholder vehicle for promoting and catalysing widespread engagement and partnerships in disaster risk reduction, and for achieving commitment, international coordination and guidance to implement the Hyogo Framework for Action. The World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery is a timely and important step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done. The United Nations Trust Fund for Disaster Reduction needs more resources to support country-level initiatives.

Madam Chair,

Viet Nam is located in a region prone to natural hazards. Just early this month, Typhoon Lekima slammed into our central coast, killing 10 people, collapsing hundreds of houses, and tearing off thousands of roofs. Fully aware of the fact that disaster can destroy decades of development gains literally overnight, over the past years, the Government of Viet Nam has given high priority to disaster risk reduction efforts. We have invested enormously in strengthening public infrastructure, coastal facilities, and homes to withstand extreme weather, flooding and rising waters; improving land and water management policies; and expanding disaster education programmes for local communities. On the other hand, we are actively working with countries in the region and UN specialized agencies to establish systems to monitor and report on risk profiles, and develop early warning systems.

Madam Chair,

Let me conclude by reiterating Viet Nam’s commitments to its implementation of the Hyogo Framework. We look forward to working closely with other countries in the region and beyond, as well as UN agencies to develop the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction system’s regional mechanisms and thematic capacities to stimulate greater contribution to disaster risk reduction.

I thank you, Madam Chair.