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Cooperation with Việt Nam among EU’s priorities in Indo-Pacific: official
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| The European Commission is providing 2 million euro (roughly US$2.2 million) in humanitarian aid to provide emergency relief to communities affected by the ongoing drought and saltwater intrusion that have impacted large parts of Việt Nam since the end of 2015.– VNA/VNS Photo |
HÀ NỘI – The European Commission is providing 2 million euro (roughly US$2.2 million) in humanitarian aid to provide emergency relief to communities affected by the ongoing drought and saltwater intrusion that have impacted large parts of Việt Nam since the end of 2015.
The ongoing El Niño-induced dry spell has affected 39 of the country’s 63 provinces, triggering widespread water shortages and parching vast areas of farmland in the predominantly agricultural country. As a result, an estimated two million people have been deprived of access to safe drinking water, while one million people are in urgent need of food assistance.
All provinces in the Mekong Delta, Southern Central and Central Highlands regions have borne the brunt of the irregular climatic patterns, with some 400,000 hectares of cropland impacted and varying degrees of productivity loss.
Channelled through the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), the aid will allow the EU’s humanitarian partners to introduce relief initiatives to alleviate the burden of the most at-risk populations in heavily impacted areas. The funding will focus on addressing the most urgent needs, which include food assistance as well as access to safe water and good hygiene practices. – VNS
