ASEAN sends relief goods to flood-affected communities in Vietnam

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep announced the plan while speaking at the 13th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM), the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER COP-14), and related meetings held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Wednesday.

According to the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority, AMMDM is the most significant annual ministerial-level event for regional cooperation on disaster management under the ASEAN framework.

The meeting reviewed progress on regional initiatives and programs under AADMER and discussed strategies to strengthen disaster preparedness amid worsening climate change impacts.

Speaking on behalf of Vietnam, Deputy Minister Hiep stressed that natural disasters have become increasingly severe and unpredictable due to climate change, causing devastating losses across ASEAN.

“In Vietnam, from late July to early October 2025, successive storms including Wipha (Storm No. 5), Bualoi (Storm No. 10), and Matmo (Storm No. 11) brought heavy rainfall and flooding that caused extensive damage to lives, housing, agriculture, and infrastructure in the northern and central regions,” he said.

“On behalf of the government and people of Vietnam, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the governments and peoples of ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the AHA Centre for their timely support and solidarity with the Vietnamese people affected by these disasters,” Hiep added.

He confirmed that two ASEAN relief shipments are being deployed from the DELSA regional stockpile in Malaysia, with one arriving in Vietnam on Wednesday and the second due to reach Hanoi on Thursday before being sent to Cao Bang.

“This assistance is a testament to the spirit of ‘One ASEAN, One Response,’ consistently reaffirmed by the bloc’s leaders,” he emphasized.

Deputy Minister Hiep also extended condolences to the governments and peoples of Myanmar and Thailand for the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake in March 2025, and to the Philippines for recent earthquakes of magnitudes 6.7, 7.4, and 6.8 in early October.

“Vietnam remains committed to working alongside ASEAN members to share expertise, manpower, and resources in disaster management and response,” he affirmed.

On Tuesday, the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority delivered emergency humanitarian aid provided by Japan to disaster-hit residents in Bac Ninh Province, northern Vietnam.

The department the same day also received a humanitarian aid package worth approximately A$322,000 (US$210,000) from Australia, including 756 hygiene kits, 320 kitchen sets, 300 blankets, and 756 shelter toolkits.

At a Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership meeting on Tuesday, several countries and international organizations announced additional aid for Vietnam, including A$3 million (US$1.950 million) from Australia, US$1 million from South Korea, €500,000 (US$582,000) from the European Union, US$350,000 from World Vision, US$100,000 from CRS, US$58,000 from Plan International, and US$30,000 from HWA.