The AHA Centre mobilised ASEAN relief items to augment the government’s efforts to help people affected by Tropical Cyclone Yagi and Southwest Monsoon in Lao PDR.

Supported by Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the relief items comprised of family kits, hygiene kits, shelter repair kits, kitchen sets, jerry cans, and mosquito nets that were dispatched from DELSA Regional Warehouse in Subang, Malaysia. All items were airlifted by three sorties of commercial chartered aircraft and two sorties of military aircraft C130 on 18-20 September 2024.

MYAKU-MYAKU, an official character of Expo2025 大阪・関西万博 (Osaka Kansai EXPO), made a courtesy call on Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, Nararya Soeprapto, at the ASEAN Headquarters/Secretariat on 17 September. JABOT, ASEAN’s special friend from Japan, escorted MYAKU-MYAKU to the meeting.

ASEAN Pavilion will be at the EXPO from April through October 2025. ASEAN Day event will also be held on 8 August 2025 at EXPO National Day Hall “Ray Garden”. More information is available here.

Utilization of Expo 2025 Osaka to Enhance ASEAN Awareness as a Single Tourist Destination is supported by Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

SEAFDEC organised the regional kick-off meeting for the Regional Collaborative Research and Capacity Building for Monitoring and Reduction of Marine Debris from Fisheries in Southeast Asia project. Representatives from the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Member Countries, namely Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam; a representative from the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) Management Team, as well as officials and staff from the SEAFDEC Secretariat, TD, MFRDMD, and IFRDMD participated in the Meeting held virtually on 10 September 2024.

The project, which is implemented by SEAFDEC from 2024 to 2026 with support from the JAIF, seeks to address the growing issue of marine debris, particularly from abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), and build regional capacity for sustainable solutions. The Meeting discussed the details of the activities of the Project which were aligned with four priority areas of the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris including Policy Support and Planning; Research, Innovation, and Capacity Building; Public Awareness, Education, and Outreach; and Private Sector Engagement. Moreover, the indicative workplan and working mechanisms were also deliberated during the meeting.

On 9 and 10 September, the Vietnam Institute of Water Resources (VAWR) held the International Conference, titled “Efficient Water Management and Climate Change Response Applying Information and Communication Technology in ASEAN Countries.” This conference was held as the framework of the Project “Efficiency Enhancement of Regional Irrigation Water Management in Gravity Irrigation System,” supported by JAIF.

The attendees of this conference were as follows:

– Mr. Nguyen Hong Khanh, Deputy Director of Water Resources Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam (MARD),

– Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Hoa, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Water Resources (VAWR), Viet Nam,

– Dr MATSUBARA Eiji, President, Japan Association for International Collaboration of Agriculture and Forestry (JAICAF),

– Mr NAGAI Hiroshi, CEO, Farmo CO. Ltd., the Japanese ICT company that provides ICT equipment for the project,

– Mr TANAKA Yusuke, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam,

– Mr YAMAURA Kiyotaka, JICA Advisor for Agricultural Policy, MARD,

– Mr KAWAMOTO Yosuke, First Secretary, Mission of Japan to ASEAN,

– The guests from the government and institutes from 10 countries from ASEAN and Timor Leste and Japan.

ASEAN countries aim to disseminate new, sustainable technologies to improve the efficiency use of water resource. Telemetry for Irrigation Water Management (TM) systems are often applied in reservoirs and irrigation canals to manage irrigation water. The high cost of installing and operating TM systems hinders the promotion of TM systems in ASEAN member countries. Therefore, the conference was organized for the aim of sharing experiences to the use of the latest, accurate and low-cost TM systems, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in paddy field by utilizing ICT, which will contribute to effective water management, increase productivity and minimize the impact of climate change in ASEAN member countries.

At the opening of the conference, Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Hoa, VAWR, emphasized the importance of integrating technology for comprehensive water resource management, particularly in irrigation management systems. He noted that monitoring hydrometeorological data and developing redundant software is crucial for modernizing irrigation practices, enhancing water efficiency, and adapting to climate change. He hopes the workshop will provide valuable insights for ASEAN member countries. Mr. Nguyen Hong Khanh, MARD, also acknowledged the collaborative efforts of VARD and ASEAN countries, supported by Japan. He expressed the expectation that the workshop would facilitate knowledge sharing and cooperation in science and technology, ultimately promoting sustainable development.

19 scientific reports from various countries were presented, and visited 2 sites in the field during the conference. The participants exchanged issues of effective irrigation water management, agriculture adapting to climate change, monitoring irrigation water management utilizing ICT, etc.

As one of the project outputs, the “Manual for Telemetry for Irrigation Water Management Equipment, System, Data analysis, Operation and Maintenance” was published. The manual is accessible through this link.

Click here for more information about the project in VAWR.

The on-site sessions of ACE-LEDMP Executive Level – Second Batch 2024 have officially kicked off in Jakarta, Indonesia. With twenty participants hailing from the ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste, this programme promises to be an exciting blend of learning, growth, and friendship.

The AHA Centre Executive Leadership in Emergency and Disaster Management Programme (ACE-LEDMP) Executive Level – Second Batch 2024 is supported primarily by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).