Foreign Ministry spokeswoman speaks about support for Vietnamese abroad to return home
Hanoi (VNA) – Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said over the past time, the Foreign Ministry has worked with Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, and domestic and foreign agencies to help nearly 1,500 Vietnamese citizens return home safely.
She revealed the information while
answering reporters’ queries about help for Vietnamese abroad, including
students and workers, to return home, at a regular press conference in Hanoi on
April 9.
The spokesperson noted that several Vietnamese citizens are still stranded at
international airports due to changes in entry-exit and transit policies of
countries and territories; as well as due to cancellation and adjustment of flight schedules of airlines to respond to the COVID-19. In addition, a number of Vietnamese
citizens are meeting visa difficulties because they are unable to find flights back
to Vietnam.
According to her, Vietnamese representative agencies have been working closely
with international carriers and authorities of the host countries to tackle
difficulties about visas, ensure medical care and supply of necessities for
Vietnamese citizens, as well as help with the search and arrangement of
suitable flights to Vietnam for them.
However,
she noted that it is impossible for the agencies to remove all difficulties in
all cases to help citizens return home.
In the time ahead, under the direction of the Prime Minister, Vietnamese
representative agencies abroad will suggest plans to bring a number of citizens
home, with priority given to the elderly, the sick and children below 18, while
taking into account the capacity of domestic quarantine facilities, she
said.
For a small number of Vietnamese lacking personal papers and legal labour
contracts, the representative agencies will conduct legal procedures with relevant agencies of
both Vietnam and the host countries to verify their identity, and work out suitable
solutions, Hang said.
About support for foreign representative agencies in Vietnam to send their
citizens home, Hang said Vietnam always creates favourable conditions for
foreign representative agencies to conduct citizen protection, and for
foreigners meeting with difficulties during travelling to return to their homeland. Vietnam has coordinated with foreign representative
agencies in Vietnam to organize some flights to send citizens of some European
countries home. In the time ahead, Vietnam will continue to create favourable
conditions for foreign citizens to go back to their home countries in
accordance with Vietnam’s regulations and epidemic prevention requirements.
Asked when foreign representative agencies and businesses could resume normal operation, Hang said amid the complicated developments of COVID-19, the Vietnamese Government has adopted temporary measures, including physical distancing, to prevent its spread in the community.
Vietnam will continue monitoring the situation and make adjustments that suit realities, she said./.