At the ceremony, on behalf of the European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the Ambassador of the European Union to Viet Nam, Julien Guerrier, signed funding agreements with representatives of the Viet Nam Red Cross Society and World Vision to implement this initiative. The initiative aims to improve access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene; promote safe and inclusive learning for children as they return to school; and help vulnerable households meet their daily living and urgent needs through multi-purpose cash assistance. It will also provide support services for children and women who have experienced abuse and violence; reduce the risks of child abuse and violence and of post-disaster gender-based violence against women, girls and other vulnerable groups; and connect them with support systems in schools and communities.
Mr Doseba Tua Sinay (right), National Director of World Vision International in Viet Nam, signs to receive support from ECHO.
Mr Vũ Thanh Lưu (right), Vice President of the Viet Nam Red Cross Society, signs to receive support from ECHO.
The total project budget is more than EUR 700,000, of which more than EUR 50,000 comes from contributions by the members participating in the initiative. Over six months (from October 2024 to March 2025), the project will prioritise support for those most severely affected in Yên Bái (Lục Yên and Yên Bình districts), Hà Giang (Hoàng Su Phì district) and Cao Bằng (Bảo Lạc district).
The selected households include people displaced by floods, flash floods and landslides, people living in areas swept away by floods, and returnees, in the most deprived and hard-to-reach areas. Around 12,205 people are expected to benefit directly.
Mr Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission, praised the timely efforts of the Viet Nam Red Cross Society and World Vision in supporting people affected by Typhoon Yagi in Viet Nam, and expressed his pride that the European Union could support the upcoming relief activities. "This is an important step in the ever closer partnership between the EU and ASEAN, and between the EU and Viet Nam, helping us do more to protect people in our region," Mr Margaritis Schinas said.
According to Mr Doseba Tua Sinay, National Director of World Vision International in Viet Nam, in implementing this relief project World Vision always stresses the importance of prioritising the most vulnerable – children, women and people with disabilities. This approach not only addresses their immediate needs but also aims to protect them from post-disaster gender-based violence and to ensure that children can return to school safely, helping families give their children a brighter, rebuilt future.
Expressing his appreciation for the support of the European Union and its Member States, as well as international organisations and non-governmental organisations that have always stood by and helped the people of Viet Nam in times of natural disaster, Mr Vũ Thanh Lưu, Vice President of the Viet Nam Red Cross Society, hoped that the support programmes would be implemented in a practical and effective manner, quickly overcoming the consequences of the typhoon. He also hoped that Viet Nam would continue to receive the support and close cooperation of these organisations in many fields in the future.