01.04.2025 (12:01 PM)

ASEAN will send an Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERTA) to assist earthquake-hit Myanmar and Thailand.

ASEAN also said it is preparing to mobilize relief teams from ASEAN member states to assist earthquake-hit Myanmar and Thailand.

The process will be coordinated by ASEAN’s Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Centre (AHA Centre) through the ASEAN Disaster Emergency Support System (Delsa), said ASEAN foreign ministers who attended the meeting via video link on March 30. The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28 caused casualties in Myanmar and Thailand.

The ASEAN foreign ministers expressed their deepest condolences to the people of Myanmar and Thailand affected by the earthquake, especially in Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Sagaing, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and surrounding areas. In the face of this challenge, ASEAN member states stand united and are committed to helping the earthquake victims, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers said in their joint statement.

The statement noted that humanitarian assistance is urgently needed and that ASEAN member states need to step up relief and recovery efforts through their contributions. The statement also noted that search and rescue teams from ASEAN member states have arrived in Myanmar.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers also expressed their gratitude for the support of ASEAN member states, foreign partners, the United Nations and private sector organizations.

ASEAN urged all relevant parties in Myanmar to focus on humanitarian assistance and relief efforts, and welcomed Myanmar’s readiness to ensure timely access to aid in need without discrimination or hindrance. At the end of the meeting, the Foreign Minister of Malaysia, the ASEAN Chair, agreed to visit Myanmar on April 5 with the Thai Foreign Minister.