HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and the United States will work together in conducting humanitarian activities, especially in community-based disaster risk management and climate change adaptation projects. 

This confirmation came from Việt Nam Red Cross Society (VNRC) President Nguyễn Thị Xuân Thu, who was speaking at a meeting today in Ha Noi with a delegation from the American Red Cross Society (ARC), led by the society’s Senior Vice President for International Operations, Harold Brooks.

“The VNRC expects the ARC to expand cooperation programmes to other fields, including taking care of the elderly, the disabled and Agent Orange victims, especially in providing rehabilitation for the disabled, charity health exams, medical treatment and cancer prevention treatment,” said Thu.

Thu also praised the ARC’s support of the VNRC’s humanitarian programmes in previous years in Việt Nam.

At the meeting, Brooks expressed his wish to continue supporting the VNRC’s humanitarian programmes in the coming period.

He said priority would be given to cooperation programmes for disaster prevention and response and environmental and climate change issues.

On the occasion, VNRC Chairwoman Thu presented Brooks with the “For the cause of the Red Cross” insignia.

Since 2002, the ARC has helped Việt Nam conduct 14 humanitarian programmes and projects, worth a total of US$20 million, in 22 cities and provinces across the country, mainly focusing on health care, assistance for the disabled and disaster and climate change response.

During their Việt Nam trip from July 26 to July 29, the ARC delegation will visit the “Việt Nam Forests and Deltas Climate Change Project” in the northern province of Nam Định and the “Red Cross and Social Work” model in neighbouring Hà Nam Province.— VNS