ASEAN stands in solidarity with the flood-affected communities in Lao PDR

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) family through its Jakarta-based humanitarian coordinating centre, the AHA Centre, has conveyed its solidarity with the Government of Lao PDR and the communities affected by the recent storm and floods, and has mobilised its humanitarian relief efforts. Today, the AHA Centre officially handed over ASEAN relief items, in support of the government-led response, received by Mr. Vilayphong Sisomvang, Acting Director-General of the Social Welfare Department, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare of Lao PDR. The relief items, comprised of family kits, personal hygiene kits, kitchen sets, mosquito nets and jerry cans, were airlifted by A400M military aircraft of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, from the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) regional stockpile in Subang, Malaysia. The assistance is intended for over 1,500 people in six provinces affected by the disaster.

In the spirit of “One ASEAN, One Response”, the AHA Centre immediately reinforced the Government’s response in the areas of coordination, information management, rapid needs assessment, and deployment of ASEAN relief items supported by the Government of Japan through its Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF); and the Direct Relief. The Government of Malaysia provided support for airlifting the relief items; and the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Subang, Malaysia provided ground handling support to load the relief items to the RMAF A400M aircraft.