Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has called on ASEAN members to enhance cooperation in coping with natural disaster amid rising impacts of climate change. In his speech at the 2013 ASEAN Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX-13) in Hanoi on Oct 21, Mr. Hai highlighted the event as an important rehearsal in natural disaster management—a prioritized area of cooperation between the ASEAN and its partners. The drill, taking place until Oct 24, attracts more than 2,000 people from many countries and is a good chance for participants to share experience and evaluate their capacity in information sharing, search and rescue work, disaster emergency response. ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh said natural disasters are threatening to slow down the regional socioeconomic development and affirmed the top priority of the ASEAN to be natural disaster prevention. The bloc suffers an estimated loss of more than $4 billion annually from natural disasters. The ARDEX-13 is regarded as the biggest ever natural disaster response rehearsal in Vietnam, bringing all ASEAN members and observers from the U.S., Japan, China, South Korea and Australia. (Lao Dong – Labor Oct 22 p3, Nhan Dan – The People Oct 22 p8, vietnamplus.vn Oct 21)
