Representatives of the Vietnam-France Friendship Association hand over the donation to Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang, Paris, June 25, 2021.

Vietnam needs 1.1 billion USD to procure 150 million doses of vaccines to cover 70 percent of its population this year. The fund was set up in Mayto raise contributions from various sources, including private companies and citizens, to ease the burden on the country’s resources.

On Friday, the Vietnamese community in France and the Vietnam-France Friendship Association donated a total of 20,000 euros to the fund via the Vietnamese Embassy. 

“The National COVID-19 Vaccine Fund has been receiving strong support from the Vietnamese community and French people. I believe that there will be more donations from France to the fund,” said Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang.  

The same day, representatives of the Lao capital of Vientiane handed over 30,000 USD to the Embassy of Vietnam to help authorities and people of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city fight COVID-19.The donation was raised by Vientiane authorities and people, along with the Vietnamese community and firms operating in the city.

The Embassy has so far received about 1.3 million USD from Lao organisations and individuals to support Vietnam’s fight against COVID-19.