Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat and US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in mitigating biological threats, in Hanoi on June 22.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Phat expressed his hope that the MoU will lay the groundwork for both sides to increase collaboration in the field.
Over the past decade, the US has assisted Vietnam in several projects involving the management and prevention of epidemics and emerging infectious diseases via the US Agency for International Development (USAID), he said, adding that the US Defence Department’s programme on biological threat reduction has partnered with Vietnam’s Department of Animal Health and the National Centre for Veterinary Diagnosis to improve the capacity of laboratories and professional staff in the country since 2014.
Ambassador Osius, for his part, lauded the signing as a remarkable stride in bilateral ties.
He said Vietnam is assuming its responsibility as a front-runner in the region in the Global Health Security Programme, and has played a leading role in the action programme on animal-to-human infectious diseases.
Following the signing, the two sides will make progress in the discovery and prevention of emerging diseases, not only in Vietnam but the world also, he stated.-VNA
