Vietnam Red Cross (VNRC) President Nguyen Hai Duong and Laos Red Cross (LRC) President Laoly Faiphengyoa signed an agreement on humanitarian cooperation between the two agencies for the 2014-2018 period in Hanoi on November 21.

Under the agreement, the two sides will work closely together to enhance their role at regional and international forums. VNRC will help LRC train its staff to improve their ability in the field.

They also agreed to promote annual delegation exchanges in order to further cooperation between the two agencies.

The two organisations also encouraged the two countries’ localities, especially border-sharing ones, to strengthen cooperation in Red Cross movements in the coming time.

On the occasion, VNRC presented 50,000 USD to LRC to help implement humanitarian aid projects and organise training courses on disaster response for its staff in 2014. Speaking at the ceremony, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Chief Representative in Vietnam Michael Annear spoke highly of the effective cooperation between the Vietnamese and Lao Red Cross organisations, affirming that the IFRC will provide more support for the two sides to implement the agreement successfully.-VNA