The HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations awarded a Certificate of Merit to a number of NGOs for their charitable and humanitarian activities in the 2016-2018 period at a meeting yesterday in the city. VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

HCM CITY — HCM City authorities yesterday praised the contribution of foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to the city’s economic and social development.

Nguyễn Thị Hồng Diễm, vice chairwoman of the HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations, said: “HCM City has committed to creating the most favourable conditions for the operation of foreign NGOs and implementation of their projects in the city.”

Diễm spoke yesterday at a meeting to review the operation of foreign NGOs in the city in the 2016-18 period.

She noted that NGOs play a key role in assisting the city with international integration and introducing the city’s achievements to the world.

“The co-operation programmes with foreign NGOs should focus on economic value while ensuring the country's security,” she said.

Diễm said 166 foreign NGOs had been granted operation registration certificates in the city.

In 2018 foreign non-governmental aid was US$72 million, a surge of 152 per cent over the previous year.  

In the first half of 2019, foreign non-governmental aid reached $29.28 million.

Last year, disbursement of foreign non-governmental aid reached $47.2 million, or 65.6 per cent of the committed amount, of which disbursement for medical aid accounted for 97 per cent.

Foreign NGOs are active in several sectors in which Việt Nam is seeking assistance, such as health, education, economic development, social affairs and environmental protection.

Major projects include those on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment; and donations of medical equipment and biochemical products for health, among others.

Representatives for the Union of Friendship Organisations in Bình Định, Bến Tre and Bạc Liêu provinces at the meeting have asked foreign NGOs to support the poor and people with disabilities in their localities.

Participants also discussed Vietnamese laws related to foreign NGO operations. 

During the event, the city People’s Committee awarded a Certificate of Merit to 11 NGOs for their charitable and humanitarian activities in 2016-2018 period. 

Meanwhile, the HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations awarded a Certificate of Merit to 32 NGOs.

Foreign NGOs have poured more than $4.3 billion worth of aid in projects and programmes over the last two decades in Việt Nam.

According to the Government’s Committee for Foreign NGO Affairs, Việt Nam has established relations with more than 1,000 overseas NGOs. Of the figure, 500 are the most active, with over 3,000 programmes and projects.

The projects help resolve urgent issues for people in underdeveloped areas, raise the capability of officers as well as residents, transfer advanced technology, and promote understanding and relations between the Vietnamese and international friends. — VNS