VUFO Chairwoman Nguyen Phuong Nga presents the  certificate of merit to a NGO representative (Photo: VNA)

Addressing the event on December 21, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, Chairwoman of the VUFO praised the spiritual and material support and active cooperation of more than 500 foreign NGOs in Vietnam, saying they have made important contributions to the achievements of the country during the year full of challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
She noted that foreign non-governmental organisations had actively responded to the call of the VUFO to join hands with the Vietnamese people in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, coping with drought and saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta provinces, and overcoming storm and flood consequences in the central region through specific, practical and timely activities.
In 2020, foreign NGOs provided aid to Vietnam in many socio-economic areas such as health, education, agricultural and rural development, and social issues, protection of natural resources and environment, with a total value estimated at 250 million USD.
Of which nearly 9 million USD was for dealing with the aftermath of floods and storms in the central region and 6.5 million USD for COVID-19 prevention and control.