Irish Aid official Margaret Gaynor receives peace insignia
HA NoOI — Deputy director of the Irish Aid Agency Margaret Gaynor has been awarded the "For Peace and Friendship among Nations" insignia for her great contribution to boosting aid to Viet Nam during her term in the country.
Don Tuan Phong, vice president of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations, presented the award in Ha Noi yesterday.
Gaynor played a key role in building aid programmes for Viet Nam in the 2011-15 period, focusing on reducing poverty among ethnic groups, boosting economic development and supporting the participation of foreign non-governmental organisations in Viet Nam's development.
She has made an enormous contribution to Viet Nam's socio-economic development programme in especially difficult communes (Programme 135) while in charge of Ireland's aid for the programme.
She directly participated in the "One-UN" programme during her term in Viet Nam, contributing to fostering relations between UN organisations and the Vietnamese Government.
She has also taken part in various activities to boost education and training co-operation and cultural exchanges between Ireland and Viet Nam. — VNS