New Zealand announces further typhoon relief

Wednesday, 18/11/09: New Zealand’s Ambassador to Viet Nam, Ms Heather Riddell, today announced that New Zealand will contribute an additional US $222,000 to support relief and recovery efforts in Viet Nam, following Typhoon Ketsana and Mirinae.

This brings New Zealand’s total contribution to the Vietnam Red Cross Emergency Appeal to US $370,000.

“In the nearly 35 years of diplomatic relations between NZ and Viet Nam, New Zealand has provided development assistance to Viet Nam in many areas, including rural development, education and health.

New Zealand has a special relationship with two of the provinces which were badly affected by the typhoons: Gia Lai and Binh Dinh. Our relationship with Binh Dinh goes back to the sixties when NZ stationed a medical team in the area. We also funded a programme in agro forestry in Gia Lai in the 1990s and are currently developing early childhood education project in Gia Lai.”

New Zealand made an initial contribution of US $148,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross.

For more information on New Zealand’s ongoing development assistance to Viet Nam please refer to the NZAID website, www.nzaid.govt.nz