Organizational structure and tasks of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in Vietnam

Organizational structure and tasks of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in Vietnam (Image from the Internet)

1. Organizational structure and tasks of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in Vietnam

According to Article 25 of Decree 66/2021/ND-CP stipulating the organizational structure and duties of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in Vietnam as follows:

- The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control is established by the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam, performing the task of inter-sectoral coordination to assist the Government of Vietnam, the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam in organizing, directing, managing the work of prevention, response, and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters nationwide. The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control is entitled to use a separate seal to carry out the Committee's duties. The members of the Committee operate on a concurrent basis.

- The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control comprises the following members:

+ The Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam or the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam serves as the Chairman, specifically appointed by the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam;

+ The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development serves as the Standing Deputy Chairman; Other Vice-Chairmen are appointed by the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam;

+ Members include representatives of the leadership of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies directly under the Government of Vietnam; representatives of the leadership of Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency; Chief of the Office of the National Committee for Incident, Disaster Response, and Search and Rescue;

+ Based on work requirements, the Chairman of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control invites representatives of the leadership of relevant agencies and organizations: Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vietnam Women's Union, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Red Cross Society, and other relevant agencies and organizations to participate in the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development serves as the standing agency of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control; utilizing the apparatus of the General Department of Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and arranging personnel, equipment, and necessary conditions to perform the tasks of the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

The Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has a seal, is allocated funds, and opens an account at the State Treasury to operate. The Chairman of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control stipulates the functions, duties, and operating regulations of the Standing Office of the Committee.

- Duties of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control:

+ Directing and urging the development and implementation of national strategies, plans, policies, and laws on natural disaster prevention and control;

+ Leading the guidance for building natural disaster response plans;

+ Directing and coordinating the response and mitigation of the consequences of natural disasters nationwide: Directing the response to level 3 natural disaster risks; advising on the response to level 4, 5 natural disaster risks; coordinating and supporting or directing localities in responding to level 1, 2 natural disaster risks when there are complex developments, potential for significant, serious consequences;

+ Based on natural disaster developments and actual requirements, deciding on urgent measures, mobilizing resources from ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies, organizations, and individuals to respond to and overcome the consequences of natural disasters as stipulated by the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control 2013 and Decree 66/2021/ND-CP;

+ Directing the statistics of damages, urgent support and recovery, and reconstruction needs of localities, ministries, and central authorities;

+ Summarizing, considering, and proposing to the Government of Vietnam and the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam to decide on measures, use the central budget and other lawful resources to serve emergency response activities and overcome the consequences of natural disasters nationwide;

+ Inspecting, urging, and guiding ministries, central authorities, and local authorities to implement activities of natural disaster prevention and control in accordance with the law;

+ Directing, organizing training, education, drills, and training for forces participating in natural disaster prevention and control activities; directing, deploying, and organizing the implementation of solutions to gradually enhance civil capacity in natural disaster response activities;

+ Directing, organizing the enhancement of facilities, equipment, materials, special-use means; building a data system to support, advise on decision-making for natural disaster prevention and control at all levels;

+ Organizing the call for, reception, and implementation of international emergency support in emergency natural disaster situations;

+ Organizing guidance, inspection, urging, and summarizing the implementation results of support resources, reporting to the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam;

+ Directing, organizing the construction of documents, training, dissemination, communication through social media platforms to raise community awareness about annual natural disaster prevention and control;

+ Guiding activities of the shock force for natural disaster prevention and control at the grassroots level;

+ Advising the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam to establish a forward command committee to directly direct and manage at the field in the affected area of extraordinary natural disaster situations;

+ Leading the development and publication of the annual white book on natural disaster prevention and control;

+ Directing, building operation plans, and ensuring the funding to perform annual tasks.

2. Mechanism for cooperation between the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the National Committee for Search And Rescue in Vietnam

The Mechanism for cooperation between the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the National Committee for Search And Rescue in Vietnam according to Article 32 of Decree 66/2021/ND-CP is as follows:

- The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control takes the lead, cooperating with the National Committee for Incident, Disaster Response, and Search and Rescue to issue directives for responding to specific natural disaster situations.

- The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the National Committee for Incident, Disaster Response, and Search and Rescue proactively inform and coordinate handling immediately upon receiving information about accidents and incidents occurring during natural disasters, agreeing on measures and mobilizing forces, means, materials, and equipment for natural disaster response.

- The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control collaborates with the National Committee for Incident, Disaster Response, and Search and Rescue in requesting international support for search and rescue forces in the case of severe natural disasters before reporting to the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam for a decision.

- The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control leads the mobilization of resources, organizing, directing, and managing the response and mitigation activities, cooperating with the National Committee for Incident, Disaster Response, and Search and Rescue to mobilize and coordinate the search and rescue forces, implementing search and rescue operations during natural disasters.

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