Japan Plans $2.76M for Disaster Risk Mitigation Project in Vietnam by 2015

The Japanese Red Cross has pledged to fund $2.76 million for a project on natural disaster risk reduction in Vietnam from now until 2015. Vietnam Red Cross Deputy Chairman Phung Van Hoan said at a workshop Nov 30 that the project is aimed to support 346 vulnerable communes in eight northernmost coastal provinces and 10 communes of two extended mountainous provinces of Vinh Phuc and Hoa Binh. The project is expected to benefit more than 2 million people in 356 communes of 10 provinces nationwide that belonged to three major high-risk areas of Vietnam, namely the northern mountains, Red River Delta and central coastal zones. The project would focus on the adaptation of local Red Cross experiences in forest resource development from coastal to mountainous areas. Around 150 communes in 20 provinces would receive intensive technical support and assistance to become safer and more resilient, Hoan added. The Vietnam Red Cross hoped to expand the project to 1,000 communes and to put it into the national program for community-based disaster risk management that would cover roughly 6,000 communes. Statistics showed that 22,400ha of mangroves have been planted in 166 communes of eight coastal provinces thanks to Red Cross projects since 1994. A total 222 communes received disaster preparedness training and support as well as 350,000 people have directly benefited from the project and around 2 million people now are better protected from the impact of typhoons and floods.  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has funded $711,000 for a project to boost capacity to prevent and adapt to natural disasters for vulnerable communities in Vietnam’s coastal central areas.  Natural disasters are considered major obstacles on the path of sustainable development and efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Vietnam where 70% of the population affected by natural disasters. (Vietnam News Nov 30)