16 November 2013 – Ministers gathered for the 11th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on November 11 and 12 united in their expression of sympathy and solidarity with the victims of typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan).
The Philippines became the unintended focus of opening statements in the two-day ASEM meeting as the country endured the force of Yolanda, one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa called on ASEM partners to go beyond expressing messages of sympathy to providing tangible assistance including the immediate needs of the typhoon victims. He underscored that this disaster provides an opportunity for ASEM partners to join hands and to prove that ASEM is not just a talk shop but a platform for partnership and cooperation.
Many ASEM Partners expressed their readiness to provide emergency relief and humanitarian assistance at the soonest possible time.
Addressing the plenary, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia expressed profound appreciation to the messages of sympathy and acts of generosity and solidarity from ASEM friends.
“The spontaneity of offers of assistance, the sense of urgency of their delivery and the sincere compassion from ASEM partners are heartwarming, indeed, life giving. They speak volumes of the humanity of all our nations, and prove the existence of an umbilical cord that binds us all as one great civilization,” he said.
The United Kingdom committed 10 million pounds for relief and rescue operations.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Kgoc informed that Vietnam will be sending US$100,000 for the typhoon victims.
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said that Germany will provide an initial US$1 Million in emergency relief and gave the assurance that it stands ready to extend more assistance.
Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi communicated that Hungary will be sending a search and rescue team to help Philippine authorities in the rescue and relief operation efforts.
Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Miroslav Lajcák donated 20,000 euros of financial humanitarian aid from his own Department’s budget.
Italy conveyed the information that its assistance for victims of recent national calamities in the Philippines will soon reach US$2 Million.
The Philippines, together with Switzerland, will host an ASEM Conference on Innovation and Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Climate Change Adaptation in September 2014. END
