Storm Tembin which hit the
ASEAN should intensify its disaster management efforts after the region was recently hit by several deadly storms, emphasised ASEAN’s new Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi.
"Our region is disaster-prone," Lim said at his inauguration ceremony at ASEAN's Secretariat in
"This underscores the need to strengthen ASEAN cooperation in disaster management and humanitarian assistance," he stressed.
Earlier, the group focused mainly on regional diplomacy and economic growth.
Now it is time for the group to be more proactive and improve its capability in disaster-relief efforts, Lim stated.
Member states have to be responsible for strengthening resilience through disaster risk reduction interventions, climate change adaptation strategies and conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and natural resources, he added.
Last month, tropical storm Tembin battered the southern
Also in the month, typhoon Cempaka pounded
The ASEAN secretary-general serves a non-renewed term of five years with the post rotating among member states.
Lim takes over from
VNA