Minister of Home Affairs Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman emphasised the importance of building a resilient ASEAN through robust infrastructure, early warning systems and strong social networks, during the official opening of the ASEAN Strategic Policy Dialogue on Disaster Management (SPDDM) 2024 held from August 22 to 24 in Singapore.
The minister led the Brunei delegation and delivered a welcoming address, in his capacity as ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management (AMMDM) Chair, highlighting the critical role of SPDDM in shaping the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme 2026-2030, guiding ASEAN’s disaster management efforts and positioning it as a leader in international disaster management.
Themed ‘It Takes a Village: Inclusive Approaches to Enhance Disaster Resilience’, the ASEAN SPDDM addressed long-term strategies for strengthening community engagement in disaster resilience across the ASEAN region.
The theme complements the AMMDM and ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management’s (ACDM) theme for 2024 ‘Building a Resilient ASEAN through Inclusive and Sustainable Disaster Recovery’, which will also be hosted by the Sultanate later this year. Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin also shared Brunei’s commitment and efforts in disaster preparedness, response, recovery and regional cooperation, focusing on inclusive approaches to engage all communities, including women, children and those in remote areas.
The effort aims to address future challenges, including climate change.
The dialogue also featured high-level seminars and discussions on community empowerment, inclusive strategies, collaborative approaches, and innovative technologies for disaster recovery and resilience.
The conference saw the participation of disaster management ministers, the ASEAN Secretary-General, heads of international organisations and disaster management leaders from ASEAN member states.
Attending the ASEAN SPDDM 2024 alongside the minister were the deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), the director of the National Disaster Management Centre, and senior officials from both the MoHA and the NDMC.
The SPDDM, an annual high-level conference organised since 2015 by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), facilitates the sharing of experiences and knowledge between ASEAN and international organisations.
This year’s conference focused on setting strategic directions for the ACDM, which Brunei chairs this year. – Fadley Faisal
