Launch of ASEAN Civilian Alliance for Regional Emergencies (ASEAN Care) – Speech by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Chairman of Humanity Matters, Amb Ong Keng Yong

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Good afternoon.

2. Thank you for inviting me here for this launch of the ASEAN Civilian Alliance For Regional Emergencies (ASEAN CARE).

Disasters in Southeast Asia

3. Southeast Asia has seen perhaps more than our share of natural disasters, including tropical cyclones, typhoons, floods, landslides, heatwaves, and droughts.

4. According to the ASEAN Disaster Information Network, in 2023 last year, there were 1,000 disaster events to hit ASEAN nations.

5. These events affected over 22 million people, and caused about USD$640 million worth of damage.

6. The World Risk Report 2023 also found that several Southeast Asian countries were among the top ten countries with the highest disaster risk.

7. Indonesia has the highest possible impact, followed by the Philippines, and Myanmar was sixth.

8. Natural disasters can destroy communities, displace people, and cause deaths.

9. Just two weeks ago, there was prolonged and heavy rainfall in several parts of Myanmar that caused floods that affected over 230,000 people, including 120,000 people who were displaced from their homes.

10. Climate change will continue to make the situation worse.

11. Global warming has made the climate more volatile, and that has led to more extreme weather patterns in this region and other regions.

12. For example, climate change is said to be contributing to stronger typhoons, and that will particularly affect typhoon-prone countries in Southeast Asia like the Philippines.

13. A 2022 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also highlighted that climate change will increase the likelihood of floods in Southeast Asia.

14. That will have implications on food security. It will also result in increased migration flows.

Dealing with Disasters

15. There is therefore a clear, strong need to strengthen ASEAN’s response against natural disasters.

16. I will touch on three aspects in this context.

17. First, we have to make the shift from response to resilience.

18. Today, up to now, our disaster management efforts have largely focused on response and recovery after we have been hit.

19. These are all after the fact.

20. Instead, we have to also think about how to deal with disasters even before they happen.

21. Countries have to develop disaster response plans in advance, educate their people on how to prepare and respond to disasters.

22. We must also build disaster-resilient infrastructure.

23. For example, in Singapore, we are building walls and stone embankments to protect our coastline against rising sea levels.

24. Investing in such infrastructure looks costly in the short run.

25. But in the long run, more money will be saved on the costs of repairs and reconstruction, which would otherwise have to be incurred after the disaster strikes.

26. A 2019 report by the World Bank estimated that for every dollar spent in resilient infrastructure in developing countries, there would be four dollars worth of benefits.

27. Another example is Da Nang City, in Vietnam.

28. Since 2011, it has invested in typhoon-resistant homes for low-income households.

29. When Typhoon Nari hit Da Nang in 2013, over 7,000 homes were damaged but typhoon-resistant homes were left undamaged.

30. Investing in early warning systems is also critical to mitigate the impact of disaster.

31. The UN estimates that 30% of the damage caused by a disaster can be averted if early warnings are issued at least 24 hours in advance.

32. Some countries in the region, including the Philippines and Thailand, are implementing these systems.

33. These can send real-time emergency alerts to mobile phones and that would help Governments in alerting populations in the areas at risk.

34. Second, we have to continue to innovate and use technology to help us deal with disasters.

35. This includes the technology to detect the disasters early.

36. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to analyse large data sets and that can help us detect early signs of an impending disaster.

37. For example, the Philippines’ national agency is working on using AI to forecast the weather patterns with greater accuracy and to detect extreme weather events in advance.

38. These technologies can give responders more time to prepare, and evacuate affected populations.

39. Technology can also of course, help us to improve our response to disasters.

40. AI can assist dispatchers to decide how best to deploy resources in an affected area.

41. We can also use technology to galvanise the community to respond to crises.

42. One example is the MyResponder App in Singapore. It activates volunteer first responders during emergencies.

43. In 2023, we used the App to activate over 3,500 community first responders to respond to a variety of emergencies within Singapore. Often, these are health-related issues.

44. Humanity Matters is to be commended for its innovation and use of technology in disaster management, some of which is on display today.

45. These include the Singapore-made Suitcase Saver 500. This is a lightweight water treatment system which weighs about 30kg but it can treat 500 litres of water in a single hour; and there are the 10-litre jerry cans which are collapsable and therefore they are more easily transported than hard-case jerry cans.

46. Both of these were recently deployed in Myanmar, as part of Humanity Matters’ flood relief efforts in the past two weeks.

47. Third, it is important for ASEAN nations to deepen our collaboration.

48. The ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) was set up in 2003.

49. It has significantly improved regional cooperation in disaster management.

50. For example, in 2011, the ACDM helped to establish the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre).

51. The AHA Centre was established to streamline disaster coordination across all of ASEAN, and it has so far helped coordinate 43 emergency responses in ASEAN Member States.

52. Another example is the establishment of the ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT).

53. This is a regional response team  – it can be rapidly deployed to support ASEAN countries during major disasters.

54. The ASEAN-ERAT now has about 400 members, with representatives from all 10 ASEAN Member countries.

ASEAN CARE

55. But Governments alone cannot deal with these disasters. It requires an effort from the whole of society, that means involving the public, private, and people sectors altogether.

56. In this context, we are launching ASEAN CARE today.

57. ASEAN CARE will complement our existing regional response structures.

58. It is purely a community-led initiative. It establishes an ecosystem of people from different backgrounds across the region, including from the civic, philanthropic, private, and faith sectors.

59. It will facilitate exchange of ideas, and strengthen working relationships between key stakeholders.

60. The Alliance will also set up the necessary supply chains to deploy humanitarian aid.

61. I understand that Humanity Matters will be working with partners over the next four months to stockpile relief supplies, which can be dispatched quickly when needed.

62. That will include at least 60,000 ready-to-eat meals, 5,000 collapsable jerry cans, and 20 water treatment systems.

63. ASEAN CARE will help to ensure a more coordinated ASEAN response, and it will strengthen our collective resilience against disasters.

Conclusion

64. In closing, I would like to thank all the stakeholders present today for your involvement in humanitarian efforts in ASEAN.

65. Each of you play an invaluable role.

66. Civic organisations rally the community. They are often able to deploy volunteers on the ground to help complement and supplement Government efforts.

67. Community and faith leaders provide hope and maintain social cohesion in the face of emergencies.

68. In the past year, Humanity Matters has coordinated packing and delivery of 20 tonnes of emergency relief supplies from Singapore to Gaza.

69. In addition, Humanity Matters procured 33 tonnes of essential food supplies in Jordan, and delivered them to 3,000 families across Northern Gaza and Gaza City.

70. So please join me in putting our hands together to show our appreciation for Humanity Matters and all its volunteers.

71. I wish ASEAN CARE a successful launch.

72. Thank you.