Opening Remarks at the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Meeting

Director-General Vongkham Phanthanouvong, Co-chair of IASC

Distinguished representative from the Government, the Lao Red Cross

Cluster Leads and Co-leads, UN and humanitarian partners 

Ladies and gentlemen:

Sabaidee ton sao!

Welcome to the Annual Inter-Agency Standing Committee Meeting for 2026!

I begin by expressing my appreciation to the Department of Social Welfare of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare for its continued leadership in disaster preparedness, response and recovery coordination in Lao PDR. 

I also acknowledge the important role of line ministries, local authorities, and all humanitarian partners who continue to support nationally-led disaster management actions. Your work makes a huge difference; this coordination meeting will help us prepare and respond better, focusing on the needs of people on the ground.

This IASC meeting comes at a timely moment. Last month, the hailstorm that struck Vientiane Capital, and the more recent event in Bokeo Province, affected thousands of people, reminding us once again that disasters do not wait for the rainy season. They can strike anytime.

We are all aware of pervasive and recurring risks that exist in Lao PDR – risks such as floods, landslides and typhoons, including those experienced in 2024 and 2025. Together, all these factors present a huge challenge for all of us – for the Government, communities, institutions and humanitarian partners. It is opportune that our meeting takes place ahead of the monsoon period.

Last year, several provinces were hit by floods caused by Tropical Storm Wutip and Tropical Cyclone Wipha. The joint assessment by the Central Disaster Management Committee Secretariat and IASC clusters covered Xayabouly, Luang Prabang, Houaphan, Xiengkhouang and Vientiane Provinces. 

The assessment recorded impacts across 44 districts and 616 villages, affecting more than 78,000 people. It documented loss of life, injuries and damage to housing, schools, health facilities, roads, bridges, water supply, agriculture and irrigation systems.

In 2025, monsoon floods and five major typhoons and storms resulted in direct economic losses of over USD 130 million and impacted over 360,000 people.

Behind these numbers are families who lost homes, crops, food stocks, income, access to safe water, schools and health services. This is why preparedness matters. It is not only technical exercise. It is about saving lives, protecting dignity, reducing losses and helping communities recover faster.

Colleagues and friends:

Over the past year, we have taken important steps together.

The flood tabletop simulation exercise held in June 2025 brought together Government counterparts, UN agencies and other cluster members to test coordination arrangements, decision-making and operational readiness. The exercise showed strong technical commitment across clusters. It also highlighted areas where we must continue to improve. 

The lessons were clear. We need greater clarity on coordination triggers and roles. We need more consistent communication between national and sub-national levels. We need better use of information management tools, rapid needs assessment methods, situation analysis and shared reporting.

The after-action review of the flood needs assessment also highlighted practical areas for improvement in our collective response. These include better preparation before deployment, clearer lines of communication with authorities on the ground, improved logistics planning, and more timely sharing and reporting of the assessment findings.

These are practical lessons drawn from a real-life emergency. As such, they must directly inform our preparedness for the 2026 monsoon season.

The Inter-Agency Contingency Plan (or IACP) is therefore more than just a document. It represents our shared commitment to be ready before the next emergency. It also supports the Government in leading an effective, timely and coordinated response.

I thank all cluster leads, co-leads and members for contributing to the update of the IACP 2026. I also welcome the effort to align the IACP with the Government’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan 2026.

Today’s agenda reflects this purpose. We will review and reflect on the 2025 flood preparedness and response. We will also discuss preparedness and response plans for 2026 across all clusters.

The format of today’s meeting has been adjusted to allow more space for interaction among clusters and partners. Beyond presentations, I expect this meeting to provide an opportunity to examine cluster preparedness, response capacities, operational challenges, and offer practical recommendations to strengthen our readiness.

As we discuss these issues today, I would like to encourage us to focus on three practical priorities.

First, let us move from planning to readiness. This means updated contact lists, clear focal points, functional communication channels, updated stockpile data, deployable rosters, agreed assessment tools, and clear activation procedures.

Second, let us strengthen common analysis. Data should not only be collected for reporting purposes. It must help us make better decisions. We need timely, verified and disaggregated information that helps identify who is affected, where the needs are greatest, what support is available, and where the gaps remain.

Third, we must keep people at the center of our work. Preparedness and response must be inclusive, accountable and accessible. Special needs of women, children, persons with disabilities, displaced families and other vulnerable groups must be reflected in our assessment, planning and response. Protection, gender considerations, disability inclusion, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) must be part of our basic accountability to affected people from the outset, not as an after-thought.

Fourth, with reduced humanitarian resources and increasing operational challenges, local preparedness and response capacity is more important than ever. Local actors are often the first to respond and closest to affected communities. Strengthening their role is essential for timely and effective support, and to ensuring that no one is left behind.

Ladies and gentlemen:

I encourage today’s discussions to be open, practical and action-oriented. Let us be honest about what worked well in 2025, where gaps remain, and what needs to be improved.

On behalf of the United Nations in Lao PDR, I reaffirm our continued commitment to supporting the Government and the people of Lao PDR in strengthening disaster preparedness, response and recovery. We remain ready to work closely with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, line ministries, provincial authorities, clusters, and all humanitarian partners to ensure that our collective support is timely, coordinated and focused on the people who need it the most.

I look forward to a productive discussion today.

Thank you – khob chai.