UNION Minister for So­cial Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Soe Win, who is currently in Arkhangelsk, Russia attended the opening ceremony of an exhibi­tion on advanced tech­nological equipment used for early warning and response to poten­tial hazards in the Arctic region. The event took place on the morning of 30 January at the North­ern Arctic Federal Uni­versity.

During the exhibi­tion, the Union minister observed various tech­nological innovations, including unmanned small aircraft, small helicopters and motor vehicles used for haz­ard detection, automat­ic fire suppression and emergency response. He also examined spe­cialized rescue suits designed for saving lives in extremely cold climates and advanced equipment for search and rescue operations and emergency medi­cal care. He engaged in discussions and asked questions about the ex­hibited technologies.

Union Minister Dr Soe Win then attended a roundtable discus­sion at the university. The session was led by the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Manage­ment of the Russian Federation, the May­or of Arkhangelsk, the Rector of the Northern Arctic Federal Univer­sity and senior officials. The discussion focused on key challenges and threats to Arctic region­al security.

During the discus­sions, Russian officials shared their experienc­es in managing risks in the Arctic, issuing ear­ly warnings and ensur­ing effective and swift responses to hazards. They also highlighted the increasing global interest in the Arctic and the challenges as­sociated with its secu­rity and environmental protection.

In the afternoon, Dr Soe Win participated in an international confer­ence on Arctic security, where various countries shared their experienc­es in disaster manage­ment. Representatives from the Russian Min­istry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Dis­aster Management, universities and social organizations presented their research findings and experiences regard­ing the safety of Arctic communities living un­der extreme weather conditions.

Myanmar repre­sentatives also dis­cussed the country’s disaster management efforts and future col­laboration opportunities with international part­ners.

In the evening, the Mayor of Arkhangelsk hosted a formal dinner at the city hall in honour of the Arctic safety initi­ative. During the event, attendees delivered speeches reflecting on the importance of the programme. — MNA/ KZL