Israeli Ambassador Nadav Eshcar (left) gives rice to people during a donation on Friday. — Photo courtesy of Israel Embassy to Vietnam

HÀ NỘI — The Israeli embassy on Friday (April 24) donated a tonne of rice to support people affected by COVID-19 in Nghĩa Tân Commune, Cầu Giấy District, Hà Nội.

This was the first activity carried out by a foreign diplomatic agency in Việt Nam for the global pandemic-hit people. The donation took place where Việt Nam set up its first “rice ATM” to support people.

The donation reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to helping those in need in Việt Nam through official and voluntary projects, thus boosting the bilateral relationship between the two nations.

The donation showed “the spirit of friendship and the atmosphere of friendship that we feel with Việt Nam,” Ambassador Nadav Eshcar said at the event.

“It is the opportunity for us to give something back to the community that’s all year round hosting us,” he said.

“Việt Nam is really a good example of how a country deals with the unprecedented crisis,” the ambassador said.

The reaction of the Government was very fast, which maintained Việt Nam safe compared to some of its neighbours and other countries in the world, he said.

Since the global pandemic started in late December 2019 in China, Việt Nam has recorded a total 270 infection cases, of which 224 have recovered and no one died.

Việt Nam should share its lessons and experience with the world so the global community could find a way to restore socio-economic conditions, he said. — VNS