August 21, 2026 | 07:18 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Southeast Asian regional bloc, ASEAN, is working to strengthen regional cooperation in dealing with the threat of natural disasters and the impact of climate change that pose growing threats to the lives of people in Southeast Asia.
As part of the efforts, ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Piti Srisangnam said the region is bolstering the emergency logistics systems to expedite disaster relief distribution.
Srisangnam said Southeast Asia is among the regions vulnerable to the impacts of global warming, climate change, and natural disasters. "In 2022 alone, ASEAN experienced about 700 reported disasters affecting approximately four million people across the region," he said during The 2026 Model ASEAN-Korea Summit held at The ASEAN Secretariat, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
Among the most frequent disasters are floods, landslides, super typhoons, and earthquakes. These conditions indicate that climate change and disaster resilience are not merely policy issues but have a direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of the people. "Climate change and disaster resilience are not abstract policy discussions," said the Thai economist.
Srisangnam mentioned that ASEAN continues to strengthen regional cooperation to build a safer, more resilient, and sustainable region. One of these measures is through the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA).
DELSA positions emergency supplies at various locations to allow for quicker aid distribution when disaster strikes. ASEAN countries also regularly conduct emergency simulation exercises.
Training programs and certification for disaster management practitioners are being implemented to enhance the capacities of member states. These efforts, Srisangnam stated, are reinforced through ASEAN's broader policy commitments, including the ASEAN-UN Joint Strategic Action Plan on Disaster Management 2021-2025.
ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for Community and Corporate Affairs Nararya Sanggramawijaya Soeprapto echoed Srisangnam's statement. "In the past, the climate was much easier to predict. Now, I think in Indonesia, it's a bit mixed like 'gado-gado'," he said on the same occasion, referring to the traditional Indonesian vegetable salad.
Aliy Arivin Anward
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