The Southeast Asian National Societies Leadership Meeting convened in Hanoi on Aug. 13.

At the two-day meeting, the participants will debate issues relating to disaster management issue, challenges of climate change, healthcare and the improvement of people’s capability as well as the content of the agenda of the 17 th General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies slated for November in Nairobi, Kenya.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem affirmed that the Vietnamese Government and people highly appreciated the Federation, the International Committee of the Red Cross, other red cross societies, international and humanitarian organisations, and governmental and non-governmental organisations for their assistance to dozens of thousands of families overcome difficulties to integrate into the community.

To cope with and overcome the aftermath of disasters and epidemics is not an internal work of a nation, said Deputy PM Khiem, emphasising the necessity for collaboration and cooperation among countries and regions.

President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society Tran Ngoc Tang said that the Red Cross Societies in Southeast Asia have well assisted the governments in humanitarian activities as well as helped vulnerable people and disaster and epidemic victims in the community.

In Vietnam , the Government in general and the Red Cross Society in particular have actively mobilised all sources and provided emergency relief activities to every household and individual in areas hit by disasters and epidemics.

Earlier, in June, 2008, the Vietnamese National Assembly approved the Law on Red Cross Activities to create a stable legal framework for humanitarian activities./.