China-Indian Ocean region forum on disaster prevention and reduction held in Kunming

As a major sideline event of the third China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Blue Economy Development Cooperation, a sub-forum themed "Forging a disaster response barrier and jointly building cornerstones of island resilience" was held on Dec 16 in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province.

China's Deputy Minister of Emergency Management Xu Jia'ai and Chief of the Asia and the Pacific office of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Marco Toscano-Rivalta addressed the event as representatives of the co-hosts. Vice-Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Zhao Fengtao, along with nearly 100 government officials, representatives of international organizations, and experts and scholars, was also in attendance.

In his address, Xu said that in the face of frequent occurrence of extreme weather disasters, the Chinese government pays special attention to the concerns and voices from countries along coastlines, especially small island countries, and strives to improve disaster management methods and reform emergency management systems, which has led to the establishment of a coordinated and efficient emergency management framework. China is committed to establishing an international cooperation mechanism for natural disaster prevention and emergency management under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), demonstrating its sense of responsibility as a major country, he said. In future, China will continue to adhere to principles of mutual benefit, openness, and inclusiveness, and work together with countries in the Indian Ocean region to contribute to jointly combating natural disaster challenges and maintaining regional security and stability, he added.

Toscano-Rivalta thanked the CIDCA for hosting the third China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Blue Economy Development Cooperation. He said that China plays a crucial role in driving global disaster management cooperation through the international cooperation mechanism for natural disaster prevention and emergency management under the BRI. He called on all parties to focus on strengthening the sharing of risk knowledge, enhancing early warning systems, improving disaster resilience, developing resilient infrastructure, and supporting post-disaster recovery, in a bid to collectively advance the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Development Initiative (GDI), ensuring that ocean and island nations benefit the most from the blue economy.

Officials from Comoros, the Maldives, Seychelles, Thailand and Sri Lanka spoke at the forum. They all agreed that enhancing blue disaster prevention, reduction, and relief capabilities is a crucial step in actively responding to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and building a maritime community with a shared future. They expressed willingness to work together with China to create a new platform for ocean development cooperation, and strive to collectively implement the GDI and achieve the UN 2030 Agenda.