Good morning,

Respected Head of the Delegations from the ADPC Founding Member Countries & the ADPC RCC Member Countries

H.E. Milicent Cruz Paredes, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Thailand

Mr. Paisan Rupanichkij, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand

Shri Rajendra Singh, Chair of the ADPC Board of Trustees & the Head of Department National Disaster Management Authority, India

H.E. Mr. Dhan Bahadur Oli, Ambassador of Nepal to Thailand

H.E. Mr. Hun Saroeun, Ambassador of Cambodia to Thailand

H.E. Ms. Rukhsana Afzaal, Ambassador of Pakistan to Thailand

H.E. Mr. Tumur Amarsanaam, Ambassador of Mongolia to Thailand

Representatives of the Embassy and Diplomatic Mission of Bangladesh, Japan, Lao PDR, Maldives, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland

Representative of the Royal Thai Government Ministries and Departments

Representative of ADPC Development Partners and Donors

Respected Founding ADPC Executive Directors Dr. Bhichit Rattakul, Dr. Jingjai Hanchanlash, Dr. Suvit Yodmani, Dr. Krasae Chanawongse

Members of ADPC Advisory Council Members

My ADPC Colleagues

And all others all present by the mercy of the Almighty

Welcome to the 18th Meeting of the ADPC Regional Consultative Committee!

Here we are with you on the 40th Year of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center celebrating 25 Years of the Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster Management created in 2000.

Thank you for your support and guidance to ADPC, which mirrors the progression and the progress of disaster risk reduction in Asia Pacific.

We have grown and diversified across social and physical sciences to support sustainable solutions for risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas.

Very visible today with the integrated 15 priority areas of action and 3 mandatory cross-thematic areas of gender & diversity, transboundary and regional cooperation, and innovation, we are truly the Asia and the Pacific representatives to the world with a wide range of professional expertise from atmospheric scientist to social scientists.

Nothing was possible without you being with us. I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to national governments, UN and multilateral agencies, and partner organizations for their consistent support and encouragement in ADPC; while demanding creativity, innovation, and quality services.

I recognize and firmly believe this is not the time to rest on our laurels but to move forward to strengthen and improve our services.

We are in an unprecedented situation, where there is a continuous alert for a better preparedness society.

Over the last four decades, ADPC has been working with governments and contributed a meaningful role in the regional Disaster Risk Reduction architecture.

In 2000, ADPC established the mechanism called the Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster Management (RCC) to identify the disaster-related needs and priorities of Asian countries, develop action strategies and promote cooperative programs on a regional and sub-regional basis; and provide strategic guidance to ADPC in its future activities.

Until now, 17 meetings of the RCC have taken place that brings more than 24 nations of Asia and the Pacific to strengthen coordination mechanisms and partnerships; and a breakdown of traditional silos at the national and sub-national level to enhance cooperation in disaster risk management issues.

Today, at the 18th meeting of the RCC, our role has continued to expand as a means to develop programs of wider application and also encouraging more comprehensive program approaches within individual countries.

At this 18th Meeting of ADPC, our priority is to demonstrate in our work, an inclusive, nothing left behind, and rights-based approach, to promote and ensure the integration of gender equality and diversity in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resilience, as well as in ADPC’s operational strategies.

We are committed to our approach to Localization whereby local, sub-national, and national actors, namely governments, civil society, non-government organizations, the private sector, media, academia, etc., take a lead role, in a collaborative manner to plan and implement priority actions in disaster preparedness, humanitarian response, and recovery through mobilizing internal resources and external funding.

As the practice of disaster risk reduction has both expanded in scope, but also become more sophisticated involving additional professional interests, ADPC under my leadership defines thematic areas of interest and concern; and builds up institutional core competencies, technical expertise, and trusting partnerships within these areas.

Through the RCC mechanism, ADPC is committed to accelerating international disaster risk reduction cooperation in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. We support the call for a disaster preparedness approach and the need for investment in people, goods, and infrastructure for disaster risk reduction.

The discussions of these two days will build on the key outcomes of the APEC 2022 meeting under the Thailand presidency, the recent Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) hosted by the Government of the Philippines in October 2024, the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) meeting, the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) held in Baku during 11-22 November 2024 and G20 meeting Brazil last year.

It will also draw insights from many events organized by Thailand and other countries to commemorate the 20th year since the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami.

We would like to seek your engagement in the next two days and beyond in:
 

1. Understanding the current state and challenges around systemic risks, emphasizing the need for increased funding, innovative approaches, and multi-stakeholder engagement to enhance resilience.
2. Accelerating existing national strategies for RCC member countries to access finance and enhance investments to support the implementation of priority actions of the Sendai Framework for DRR.
3. Highlighting the importance of systemic risk governance, risk analytics, and preparedness actions to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs)
4. Exploring practical solutions such as integrating global frameworks into national planning, strengthening disaster risk governance, promoting climate change adaptation, and enhancing international cooperation.

We also request you to join us at the 5th Brian Ward Memorial Lecture. Mr. Saroj Kumar Jha of the World Bank will be delivering the 5th Brian Ward Memorial Lecture focusing on the theme: “A Water Secure Future: Pathways to Resilience and Risk Reduction.”

At the Brian Ward Memorial Lecture, we discuss disaster prevention and sustainable development that contributes to the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)’s growing mandate and relevance for its member countries.

We are also hosting a special meeting tomorrow called the Development Partners Forum to inform our diplomatic missions in Thailand and engage in dialogue with ADPC development partners on the priorities and where ADPC can play a collaborative role in addressing them sustainably.  
In conclusion, I reaffirm to our stakeholders that ADPC will continue to be a Game Changer for a resilient Asia and the World.

With your support, we aim to create a future that meaningfully improves the abilities to reduce disaster risks, enhance climate resilience, be prepared for and respond to disasters in Asia and the Pacific.