The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) Central Committee held a meeting with its partners on August 13 in Hanoi, seeking ways to develop their ties further.

Themed “Cooperation and Development”, the event attracted 150 delegates from the Party, State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, international organisations, and enterprises.

A report at the event showed that since 2012, the society has run activities worth over 4.2 trillion VND (197.4 million USD), including projects sponsored by Vietnamese and foreign partners at a total funding of 331 billion VND (15.55 million USD).

The society’s charitable programmes for disadvantaged people, victims of Agent Orange, poor farmers, and those affected by natural disasters, received 89 billion VND from local partners over the past two years.

In the coming time, VRSC will continue focusing on its four prioritised programmes, including those on developing a cow bank for people in poor and border localities and providing community-based health care services.

At the event, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and nine national organisations pledged to support 25 humanitarian programmes and projects with a total cost of 233 billion VND (10.95 million USD).

Meanwhile, 11 Vietnamese and foreign enterprises donated 12 billion VND (564,000 USD).

Speaking at the event, President Truong Tan Sang, who is also VRCS Honorary President, thanked domestic and foreign sponsors for their support for the society over the past years.

Despite gaining numerous achievements during 30 years of renewal, Vietnam is still facing difficulties and challenges stemming from heavy war consequences, high poverty proportion, devastating natural disasters, and climate change, requiring VRCS to increasingly promote its professional role in humanitarian activities, he said.

He also urged for measures to be taken to encourage the engagement of society in supporting the poor productively.-VNA