ADB approves 2.5 million USD grant to support Vietnam’s disaster response

The ADB grant is meant to help Vietnam provide emergency and humanitarian services to flood-hit residents in the central region (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 2.5 million USD grant to assist the Government of Vietnam in providing emergency and humanitarian services to residents affected by the recent floods in the country’s central region.

“We commend the Government of Vietnam for their quick emergency response to the disaster,” said ADB Country Director for Vietnam Andrew Jeffries. He added that ADB’s grant will augment the wider government response to deliver immediate, life-saving assistance to people who need it the most, especially people who were already experiencing adverse economic impacts due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The grant is funded by the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, which was designed to provide support to ADB’s developing members affected by major natural disasters.

ADB has been working with other development partners to support the Vietnamese government’s disaster relief efforts, including assessing the impact of the disaster and the needs for assistance in the central provinces. ADB’s assistance aims to help ensure that people living in the disaster areas have access to basic medical and social services and resources to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

In line with the UN Resident Coordinator Flood Response Plan, ADB will work closely with the Vietnamese government and coordinate with other development partners to deliver the humanitarian assistance in a manner that minimises the risk of COVID-19 for affected people in the most severely affected provinces in the central region of Vietnam.

Since October 6, the central region of Vietnam has experienced prolonged and heavy rains, storm surge, and strong winds, leading to severe flooding and landslides. As of October 29, 214 people have been killed or reported missing, according to the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority.