(VOVworld) -  The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee co-hosted a meeting yesterday with representatives from diplomatic corps, international and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Hanoi.

Speaking at the event in the lead up to the upcoming Lunar New Year Festival (Tet), President Vu Xuan Hong thanked international friends for their effective assistance to Vietnam over the past year and expressed his belief that they will proceed with assistance and close collaboration with Vietnam in 2014.

He noted with satisfaction over cooperation between Vietnam and foreign partners in recent times. Hong said the foreign non-governmental aid worth 250 million USD was focused on poverty reduction, socio-economic development, health care, education, social affairs, environmental protection, emergency assistance, climate change adaptation and post-war recovery.