With the theme of “Building a Resilient Future: Advancing ASEAN’s Post-2025 Vision for Disaster Management”, this year’s ASEAN Strategic Policy on Disaster Management (SPDDM) was held on 20-21 August 2025. The event was co-organised by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), with RSIS as the knowledge partner.
SPDDM 2025 opened with welcome remarks by distinguished guests including H.E. Ma Norith, Representative of the Chair of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management; Guest-of-Honour, Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Republic of Singapore; the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Kao Kim Hourn, as well as the Ambassador of the European Union to ASEAN, H.E. Sujiro Seam. The speakers focused on the need to build partnerships and the importance of innovation in future proofing disaster management in the region. Delivered by Dr Kao Kim Hourn, the keynote address provided a perspective on a Post-2025 Vision for ASEAN’s Resilience.
The High-Level Panel Discussion looked at “Disaster Management Leadership: Driving Innovation and Capacity Sharing to Build a Resilient ASEAN”. Moderated by Professor Mely Caballero-Anthony, Head of the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, RSIS; this panel featured perspectives from Japan, New Zealand, and Indonesia. The speakers for this panel were Dr Raditya Jati of Indonesia’s BNPB, Ambassador Kiya Masahiko of Japan and Ambassador Joanna Jane Anderson of New Zealand.
The second Keynote Address on “Strengthening Resilience and Global Partnerships: Charting the Path for Disaster Management and Emergency Response between ASEAN and the World” was delivered by Mr David McLachlan-Karr, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Development Coordination Office.
The dialogue concluded with the Thematic Panel Discussion on “Mitigating Spillover Effects: Overcoming Intersecting Risks and Transboundary Hazards through Innovative Partnerships” in which speakers highlighted the importance of partnerships in gathering data and shaping policies. Moderated by DC Daniel Seet, Deputy Commissioner (Future Technology and Public Safety), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF); the speakers for this event were Ms Koh Li-Na, Director-General of the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) and Director of the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC); Ms Bhagyashri Dengle, Executive Director, Plan International; Mr. Joshua Belayan, Youth Meaningful Engagement in Sustainable Development Consultant, United Nations Development Programme; as well as Mr. Benedikt Signer, Executive Director, SEADRIF Insurance Company.
The SPDDM 2025 concluded with a townhall-style outlook session. Moderated by Dr Alistair D.B. Cook, Senior Fellow, Coordinator of the HADR Programme, RSIS; and Dr Riyanti Djalante, Head of the Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Division, ASEAN Secretariat; they engaged participants in identifying the priorities and dynamics for a post-2025 ASEAN vision on disaster management. Topics discussed include challenges in financing and sustainability of disaster resilience, and potential solutions moving forwards.
The closing remarks were delivered by H.E. Ma Norith, who reflected on ways in which Southeast Asia’s disaster management architecture has progressed over the years, highlighting the importance of the SPDDM to convene stakeholders, and looking ahead into the future of the region.
