East Asia Summit leaders back localization to strengthen disaster resilience

Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], October 28 (ANI): The East Asia Summit (EAS) on Monday adopted a landmark Leaders' Statement on Promoting Localization in Anticipatory Action for Disaster Preparedness and Response, reaffirming the collective commitment of participating countries to strengthen local capacities and community resilience against disasters.

The statement was adopted during the 20th East Asia Summit held on October 27, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, under Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship. It recognises the growing complexity of global disaster risks, driven by environmental threats, rapid urbanisation, and socio-economic challenges that heighten the impact of disasters.

The leaders recalled earlier commitments, including the 2009 Cha-am Hua Hin Statement on Disaster Management and the 2014 East Asia Summit Statement on Rapid Disaster Response, emphasising regional cooperation for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

They noted that anticipatory action, proactive measures taken before a disaster strikes, has proven to be an effective mechanism for reducing disaster impacts, especially when supported by localisation, which involves the active participation of local authorities, communities, organisations, and the private sector in planning and implementing disaster response strategies.

The statement also highlighted that localisation has been a key principle in major regional and global frameworks such as the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response, the ASEAN Framework on Anticipatory Action in Disaster Management, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

Appreciating the role of localised anticipatory action, the EAS leaders underlined that empowering communities to plan and act in advance can reduce physical, social, and economic vulnerabilities while providing targeted solutions to local hazards.

The declaration further acknowledged the importance of ensuring that local authorities, communities, organisations, and the private sector play a central role in preventing, mitigating, preparing for, and responding to disasters. It also called for enhanced national and regional cooperation to build resilience and minimise disaster impacts.

The statement emphasised the need to develop science and technology-based, locally tailored, and regularly updated disaster risk assessments, including hazard maps and early warning systems, as key enablers of timely and accurate disaster management. It also recognised that risk-informed investments in disaster preparedness provide cost-effective and equitable long-term resilience solutions.

Through the statement, the leaders committed to fulfilling regional and international disaster management obligations under frameworks such as AADMER, the ASEAN SHIELD Declaration, the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on Sustainable Resilience, and other EAS and ARF statements on disaster management.

They also pledged to strengthen regional collaboration through the exchange of best practices, expertise, and capacity-building initiatives among EAS countries, including coordination with the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre).

The EAS leaders encouraged investment in local anticipatory action capacities, infrastructure, and early warning systems, ensuring that local actors and communities are central to preparedness and early action. They also underscored the integration of disaster risk reduction measures into post-disaster recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts.

Reinforcing the need for multi-stakeholder partnerships, the statement called for enhanced cooperation with ASEAN bodies, local governments, the private sector, academia, NGOs, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to strengthen disaster preparedness capacities.

The leaders also encouraged collaboration to improve the effectiveness of early warning systems at the local level, including mobile-based alerts, community risk mapping using GIS, and AI-powered forecasting models to ensure efficient information dissemination.

The statement reaffirmed support for empowering local authorities, communities, and organisations to take part in regional and national preparedness exercises and to implement context-specific anticipatory actions that enhance resilience. It also recognised the unique cultural knowledge of local communities as a critical strength in disaster response, acknowledging their role as first responders.

Additionally, the EAS countries agreed to explore national-level guidelines or mechanisms, including pre-arranged financing, to enable rapid decision-making and timely anticipatory actions that support sustainable, resilient communities. They also emphasised the integration of localisation principles within national and regional disaster management frameworks.

Adopted in Kuala Lumpur on October 27, 2025, the statement reaffirmed the shared vision of East Asia Summit leaders to build a disaster-resilient region grounded in local empowerment, collaboration, and anticipatory action. (ANI)

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