Received 2 million USD from ADB for 'Operation Quang Trung Lightning'

The aid is expected to be used to build and repair houses for households whose houses collapsed and were severely damaged by natural disasters in the Central region.

On the afternoon of December 5, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep received Mr. Shantanu Chakraborty, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Vietnam.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has received a letter confirming the aid of 2 million USD to overcome the consequences of natural disasters in the Central region of Vietnam in recent times. The aid was disbursed from the Asia- Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF), aiming to help people severely affected by floods in the Central region to recover their lives.

Meeting between Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep and ADB Country Director for Vietnam on the afternoon of December 5. Photo: Diep Anh.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said that the Prime Minister pays special attention to post-disaster recovery work.

“This year is one of the most severe and unusual years of natural disasters in history. In terms of the level of damage, this year is also the most severe,” he affirmed.

According to the Deputy Minister, although it was thought that after Typhoon Yagi in 2024, the damage had "peaked", this year's damage amounted to 99.1 trillion VND, equivalent to more than 4 billion USD, about 20% higher than in 2024. This figure is only a preliminary statistic, not including the material damage of each household.

The ADB grant is expected to be used to build and repair houses for households whose houses have collapsed or been severely damaged by natural disasters, in line with the spirit of the “Quang Trung Speed ​​Campaign” launched by the Vietnamese Government.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep informed about the plan to overcome the consequences of natural disasters in the Central region. Photo: Diep Anh.

The government is focusing on implementing solutions to overcome the consequences of storms and floods. The goal is to complete repairs of damaged houses and complete construction of collapsed houses before Tet.

Besides, the big task is to soon restore production activities, including agricultural production and other business activities.

ADB Country Director for Viet Nam Shantanu Chakraborty expressed his deep condolences for the losses suffered by the people in the central region due to prolonged floods and storms. He affirmed that the emergency aid from the Asia-Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) is a testament to ADB's commitment to accompany Viet Nam in responding to natural disasters and supporting people to overcome difficulties soon.

“We want to act quickly to build back better and strengthen resilience as climate change is getting worse,” the ADB leader said, expressing his hope to get support to people as soon as possible.

Looking back at the 2024 Typhoon Yagi relief efforts, Mr. Chakraborty informed that the Typhoon Yagi relief reached nearly 15,000 people in Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Cao Bang, providing essential support to those affected by the storm.

ADB Country Director for Vietnam Shantanu Chakraborty hopes the Bank's support will reach people as soon as possible. Photo: Diep Anh.

ADB looks forward to working with the Ministry to ensure this year's funding has an impact equal to or even greater than the Typhoon Yagi funding.

Responding to the ADB leader, the Deputy Minister said that in Gia Lai alone, there are still about 650 houses that need to be rebuilt, at a cost of about 170 million VND per house. He pledged to build houses that are solid and resistant to storms and floods, ensuring sustainability.

“We are committed to using support resources effectively and learning from last year's experience to speed up progress and minimize procedural delays,” he emphasized.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment receives a letter confirming aid from ADB. Photo: Diep Anh.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep thanked ADB for its timely attention and support, affirming that this emergency international aid is of great significance, necessary and timely, contributing to helping people in flood-affected areas overcome the consequences and quickly stabilize their lives.

In the coming time, the necessary procedures to approve the aid will be signed between relevant agencies and Vietnam and ADB, the time to implement the aid is 6 months from the date of signing.

Through the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership (DRRP), international organizations have been working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment through the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention. This is an important cooperation channel, ensuring the connection between the Government of Vietnam and development partners, thereby improving the capacity to prevent and adapt to increasingly extreme natural disasters.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/tiep-nhan-2-trieu-usd-tu-adb-cho-chien-dich-quang-trung-than-toc-d787994.html