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Growing risks of emergencies require further international cooperation — source

head of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry Vladimir Puchkov says the spread of Ebola virus has proved importance of the international cooperation and integration to settle issues of the kind
Russia’s Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov ITAR-TASS/Dmitry Loshankov
Russia’s Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov
© ITAR-TASS/Dmitry Loshankov

BEIJING, August 11. /ITAR-TASS/. The growing risks of emergency situations, including the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus, require further international cooperation, head of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry Vladimir Puchkov told a meeting of representatives participating in the 8th APEC Senior Disaster Management Officials Forum on Monday.

“In view of the growing threats, our services should build up cooperation,” he said. “We have been registering losses from tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, typhoons and other disasters.” He spoke about new developing threats of man-made calamities, including in the transport and energy complexes, risks of biological and social origins.

“The spread of the Ebola virus has proved importance of the international cooperation and integration to settle issues of the kind,” Puchkov stressed. The risks threaten sustainable development of the international community, he said.

“Thus, the Russian delegation is calling on the APEC countries to develop further cooperation. We believe it is important to continue work to organize an international net of emergency centers,” the minister said, adding that Russia had come up with the initiative back in 2012 during a similar meeting.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry has established practical cooperation between its national center for management in crisis situations and the UN emergency relief coordination center in Geneva and the EU emergency response coordination center in Brussels.

“This year, we shall finalize the organization of coordinating centers for the International Civil Defense Organization, which will be a major center for new networks. We hope ASEAN’s information center in Jakarta will join the network soon,” the Russian minister said.