The ASEAN region is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. Brunei Darussalam faces a spectrum of hazards with differing frequencies and intensities, notably frequent flooding due to heavy monsoons and coastal vulnerabilities. In 2022, 207 flood incidents were reported, the highest since 2016. Landslides are also an annual occurrence, peaking with 77 cases in 2021. During dry periods, the nation is also at risk of forest fires, with 1,655 reported cases in 2019.
“Disaster Resilience in ASEAN—Now and Beyond” was the theme of the ASEAN Disaster Management Week (ADMW) held on 21-24 August 2023 in Singapore.
Under the leadership of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), five-year AADMER Work Programmes (AWPS) have been implemented since 2010 to bolster disaster resilience in the region. The third edition of the AADMER Work Programme for the period of 2021 to 2025 focuses on five priority programmes: risk monitoring and analysis, prevention and mitigation, preparedness and response, resilient recovery, and global leadership. Through these AADMER Work Programmes, several flagship initiatives and projects have been implemented to enhance disaster management in the region.
Southeast Asia is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. Situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire between the Indian and Pacific oceans, it is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. This dual reality presents significant challenges and a distinctive opportunity for ASEAN to proactively address and mitigate the risks associated with various natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons, floods, and landslides.
In commemorating the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), I believe it is worth reflecting that ASEAN has come a long way in terms of enhancing regional and national capacities, particularly in managing and responding to disasters. The work carried out by the ACDM over the last two decades has been instrumental in developing and implementing activities, programmes and initiatives in the disaster management sector, especially in the areas of risk assessment, prevention and mitigation, preparedness and response, as well as recovery and rehabilitation.
“Every now and then something happens—ultimately linked to changes in industrial technique, although the connection is not always obvious—and the whole spirit and rhythm of life changes, and people gain a new perspective that is reflected in their political behaviour, their manners, their architecture, their literature and everything else.” George Orwell, 1942
The 21st century has been characterised as a period of rapid economic and social transformation, both globally and within ASEAN, and this trend is likely to persist well into its next quarter. World economic output has nearly doubled since the turn of the century despite various setbacks, such as the global financial crisis in 2007-2008 and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Social media and new technologies have come to dominate people’s lives worldwide in ways that were hard to imagine in the previous century.