ROMULO CALLS NAM MEMBERS TO COOPERATE ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Putrajaya, Malaysia, 31 May 2006 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo called on fellow NAM members to work for closer cooperation on emergency preparedness and disaster management, following the spate of natural disasters worldwide.

“The Philippines is no stranger to natural calamities. We have remained resilient and strong despite the typhoons, landslides and earthquakes that have come our way. Our best defense against the power of nature however is preparedness and the effective management of international relief efforts,” the Secretary said during Monday’s General Debate of the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM-CoB) in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

The Secretary emphasized the urgent need for developing countries to reinforce efforts and cooperation on emergency preparedness and disaster management. Romulo’s call for closer cooperation in these areas were included in the Final Declaration of the NAM-CoB Ministerial Meeting.

Secretary Romulo expressed the Philippines’ sympathies to the people of Indonesia during yesterday’s General Debate of the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM-CoB) in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

“We offer our sincerest condolences to those whose lives and communities were drastically altered by the tragedy that struck Yogyakarta last Saturday,” said Secretary Romulo.

“The Philippines stands in solidarity with the Indonesian people and is ready to assist them during these difficult times,” the Secretary. The Philippines is sending a 20-man humanitarian mission.

Members of the NAM, including Malaysia, have likewise expressed solidarity with Indonesia and are sending support and assistance to earthquake-ravaged areas in Java.

The developing world’s leading political caucus in the UN system, the Non-Aligned Movement traces its origins to the Afro-Asian Summit held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955. Malaysia hosts the high-level NAM-CoB as NAM Chair since 2003. Cuba assumes the chairmanship in September 2006.
Accompanying Secretary Romulo at the NAM-CoB are Undersecretary for Special Concerns Rafael Seguis, United Nations and Other International Organizations Assistant Secretary Aladin Villacorte, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Victoriano Lecaros, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Enrique Manalo and Minister Leslie Gatan of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York. END