On November 14, 2025, A-PAD signed the Agreement on Disaster Response in the Asia-Pacific Region with Taiwan’s National Fire Agency (NFA). The agreement aims to build a partnership through training and research to improve disaster response and rescue capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region.

(Center) NFA Director General Huang-Chang Hsiao, (second from left) Vice President Kawai of the Taipei Office of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, (left) Senior Advisor Chen-Chang Huang of the Executive Yuan’s Office of Economic and Trade Negotiations（中央）

The signing ceremony was held at Taiwan’s Central Emergency Disaster Management Headquarters and was attended by NFA Chief Huang-Chan Hsiao and Chief Chih-Chiang Hsieh, as well as A-PAD Executive Director Kaori Neki and A-PAD COO and A-PAD Sri Lanka’s Country Director, Firzan Hashim.

Other guests in attendance included the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, the Executive Yuan’s Office of Economic and Trade Negotiations, and Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A joint training graduation ceremony between A-PAD and NFA was also held the same day.

At the ceremony, NFA Director General Huangqiang Xiao said, “As the impacts of climate change grow, the partnership between NFA and A-PAD becomes even more important.”

Firzan Hashim remarked, “We are grateful to the NFA for coordinating the joint training and to the two organizations (The Red Cross Society of The Republic of China (Taiwan) and Love and Progress Firefighters Association) for their financial support. We hope to enhance each other’s expertise and skills through this agreement.

Neki stated, “We congratulate the trainees for successfully completing the two-week training. We are grateful to the NFA for coordinating the signing and graduation ceremony.”

Vice President Kawai of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office offered a congratulatory speech, “I congratulate NFA and A-PAD on the signing of this agreement. All the trainees who participated in the training are brave, and I look forward to seeing them continue to excel.”

A total of 26 trainees, including 12 from A-PAD Sri Lanka, received their completion certificates. 

 

Building on this agreement, A-PAD will continue to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan through joint training and other activities, striving to enhance disaster response, and rescue capabilities in countries in the Asia-Pacific region.