More than 100 delegates from across the Asia Pacific region gathered at aregional forum held in Hanoi on July 2 to discuss a cooperation modelamong governments, businesses and charities in coping with naturaldisasters.

The Asia-Pacific region suffers fromfrequent natural disasters which cause great losses in both human livesand properties, heard the conference, with the outstanding example ofthe earthquake in Nepal recently. In Vietnam, more than two millionpeople are affected by storms each year.

RichardWelford, Chairman of Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia (CSR),stated that major attention should be shifted from enterpriseinvolvement in preparing for response to disasters to sound coordinationthrough the model.

The best results will be reached once the capability of each side is utilised to the best, he noted.

According to Prudence Foundation Executive Director Marc Fancy, the model is expected to produce sustainable outcomes.

A forum document on effective cooperation measures will be published regionally in September.

This is the third time CSR and Prudence Foundation have co-organisedthe annual forum. Previously, it took place in Jakarta, Indonesia andManila, the Philippines with a focus on the role of business communitiesin the prevention of and remedies for natural disasters.-VNA