US helps Vietnam enhance capacity for disaster response

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will help the Vietnamese Government improve its disaster management capacity with the development of an incident command system.

The signing of the MoU between Deputy Assistant Administrator of USAID Asia Bureau Jason Foley and Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat.

The memorandum of understanding was signed on January 29 between Deputy Assistant Administrator of USAID Asia Bureau Jason Foley and Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat.

Minister Phat said Vietnam is particularly vulnerable to climate change and rising sea waters could submerge around 38% of the Mekong River Delta, threatening the lives of 18 million people and one of the world’s largest rice production areas.

He added that the USAID’s support not only helps Vietnamese people reduce the impact of climate change but also helps ensure global food security as Vietnam is among the largest rice exporters in the world.

The agriculture ministry also expects USAID will assist Vietnam enhance its capacity to deal with avian influenza, especially with the risk of the A/H7N9 bird flu outbreak in China spreading to Vietnam.

The signing of the memorandum is part of a wide range of activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the normalisation of relations between Vietnam and the United States.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)