At the event.

The event was attended by New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Dobson, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, President of Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Phuong Nga, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam Rana Flowers, Country Director of CARE International in Vietnam Le Kim Dung, and National Director of Oxfam in Vietnam Vu Thi Quynh Hoa.

The project will include NZ$1 million for medical equipment, provided through UNICEF Vietnam, and NZ$1 million for community-level economic recovery support through CARE International and Oxfam in Vietnam.

According to Ambassador Tredene Dobson, humanitarian support remains an important part of the strategic partnership between New Zealand and Vietnam.

"This project acknowledges that there is a two-fold approach to Covid recovery. On the one hand, there is an ongoing health response and this is why Aotearoa New Zealand is working with UNICEF to deliver medical equipment to areas where it is impacted by the pandemic so following consultation with the Government of Vietnam, we wanted to ensure that this project also supported economic recovery amongst some of Vietnam's most vulnerable communities - both in the major urban centers but also in hard-hit rural areas."

"By working closely with many trusted partners, this holistic approach will hopefully set a strong course for recovery. It is now more important than ever that we work quickly at pace, to achieve our collective vision of a strong, prosperous, and resilient Vietnam," Ambassador Dobson emphasized.

New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Dobson.

The partnership with UNICEF Vietnam will focus on providing medical equipment to support the vaccination and treatment of children in Vietnam.

Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam said: "As Vietnam has made a great effort in improving the readiness of the health system to deploy thể COVID-19 vaccines safely and efficiently, we have a golden opportunity to work for a more equitable health system that is also resilient to future outbreaks."

Evidence shows that countries with a health expenditure below $150 per capita will not be able to adequately prepare for or respond to future pandemics. They will not be able to close gaps in immunization or meet targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals. Building on Vietnam's remarkable achievements, it is now critical to invest more to strengthen health systems, so that children and the communities have a better chance to survive and thrive in the future. The medical equipment provided thanks to New Zealand will contribute to the preparedness of the health system for future outbreaks."

The project with CARE International in Vietnam and Oxfam in Vietnam will support a total of 5,400 persons who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Most assistance will be directed to women, people with disabilities, and members of ethnic minority communities in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Quang Trị, and Ha Giang.

New Zealand supports the recovery of Vietnam from the pandemic with NZ$2 million assistance.

Speaking of the collaboration with New Zealand, Le Kim Dung, Country Director of CARE International in Vietnam said: " CARE believes that this grant will support over 3,100 people from vulnerable households in ethnic minority communities in Quang Trị and Ha Giang to recover quickly from the shock after Covid-19 pandemic. Applying a gender-responsive approach in conducting activities, we are making sure that poor and marginalized ethnic minority people of all genders, particularly women, equitable benefit from immediate assistance and development in general. Once recovered from the effect, they will gradually build their ability to withstand shocks altogether and remain resilient in the long term."

Vu Thi Quynh Hoa, National Director of Oxfam in Vietnam said: "In this project, Oxfam and partners will support job skill training and financial assistance for at least 2,300 informal workers such as street vendors, small family business shops, lottery ticket sellers, etc. in Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong province for them to build their livelihood resilience. We will focus on helping women and people with disabilities as they are the most affected by Covid-19. This project, following the Covid-19 response in Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong funded in 2021, implemented by Oxfam and partners, which timely supported people's emergency needs during the peak of the crisis, once again shows your solidarity with Vietnam in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and recovering its economy."

Over the past two years, the New Zealand Embassy has successfully delivered several Covid-19 response projects totaling ZN$ 270,000 through its partners, assisting more than 3,000 female workers in various sectors and 130 children with disabilities as well as members of the hearing-impaired community in Vietnam by Oxfam in Vietnam, ActionAid in Vietnam, East Meets West, CARE International in Vietnam, Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, Tan Binh Centre, and SCDeaf.

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