Workshop on Post-Typhoon Yagi Recovery Review and Strategic Planning for the 2025 Disaster Season by the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership

Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Tien,

Colleagues from ministries, provinces: Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, and Lang Son 

Colleagues from UNICEF, UNDP and IOM

Good morning and thank you for joining us today.

It is an honor to co-chair this important workshop with Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Tien, representing the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority. Allow me to begin by acknowledging the leadership of the Government of Vietnam in responding to Typhoon Yagi and in guiding the recovery efforts since the disaster struck nine months ago.

Typhoon Yagi left an indelible mark on Viet Nam. With 345 lives lost or missing, homes destroyed, and livelihoods disrupted, the storm tested the resilience of communities and the strength of our systems. The total economic loss—equivalent to 0.7% of the country’s GDP in 2024—underscored the far-reaching impact of climate-related shocks. In the face of such adversity, what emerged was a clear example of collaborative disaster response and recovery led by the Government and supported by our collective efforts through the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership (DRRP).

One of our key contributions was the development of the Joint Response Plan (JRP). This plan not only laid out sectoral priorities across humanitarian and early recovery needs but also provided a common framework for resource mobilization. 

A major emphasis was placed on early recovery. Shelter, water, sanitation, and health services were among the first sectors addressed. Particular attention was given to reaching marginalized and at-risk groups—including ethnic minorities, female-headed households, and persons with disabilities—who were disproportionately affected by the storm. In line with the Leave No One Behind principle, our collective action targeted those who often remain on the margins of large-scale responses.

Another important pillar of the response was the management of financial resources. One lesson from the emergency phase was the urgent need for robust information systems for tracking aid flows and program delivery. Urgently at that moment, the Pooled fund under the UN’s emergency coordination mechanism proved instrumental in enabling timely and flexible support to frontline partners.

Colleagues, as we reflect on Typhoon Yagi, one message stands out above all others: climate shocks are intensifying. The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events in Viet Nam demands a step change in how we prepare—not just how we respond.

The experience of Yagi compels us to take preparedness more seriously:

• We must invest in early warning systems that are people-centered and community-based.
• We need to strengthen local capacities, including those of civil society and local governments, to lead first-response and recovery actions.
• We must scale up the use of shock-responsive social protection systems that can deliver cash-based interventions more rapidly and equitably.
• And crucially, we need policy frameworks that enable flexible, timely, and accountable use of international assistance.

This workshop, by including the review of Decree No. 50 on international emergency aid, presents an opportunity to strengthen the enabling environment for future crises. The challenges of Yagi showed us the gaps. Now we must work together to find solutions.

I would like to sincerely commend the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority for their leadership. Your efforts in convening this workshop demonstrate a continued commitment to learning, accountability, and proactive disaster risk governance.

The strong coordination between Government agencies and international partners through the DRRP has been a model of collaboration. The value of this platform is its ability to bring together humanitarian actors, development partners, and the private sector, in support of national priorities.

Let me close by thank all DRRP members, line ministries, and local partners who have contributed to the Yagi response and recovery. Your work has saved lives, restored dignity, and paved the way for a more resilient Viet Nam.

Let this workshop serve as a turning point—from recovery to resilience, from reflection to readiness.

Thank you, and I look forward to our shared discussions today.

Xin cảm ơn ./.