More support for overseas Vietnamese in fight against COVID-19

About 440 gift packages, including rice, instant noodles and face masks, were handed over to disadvantaged households of Vietnamese nationals in Cambodia and Khmer people in the Cambodian capital city of Phnom Penh on May 9.

The activity was part of a programme which has been jointly launched by the Vietnamese Embassy, the Khmer-Vietnamese Association (KVA) and Vietnamese businesses in Cambodia, aiming to help Vietnamese nationals in the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organisers have joined the Consulates General in Battambang and Preah Sihanouk to present gifts to about 3,000 families of Vietnamese nationals across Cambodia.

KVA President Chau Van Chi announced that no COVID-19 cases have been reported among Vietnamese nationals in Cambodia so far.

For nearly a month now, Cambodia has not detected any new cases of COVID-19. According to a press release on the morning of May 9 by the Cambodian Ministry of Health, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has stood still at 122, of whom 120 have recovered.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, Vietnamese Ambassador to the country, Ta Van Thong, said that the embassy has taken measures to support Vietnamese people and students who are facing difficulties amidst the COVID-19 outbreak in the host nation.

Thong stated that since the New Zealand Government imposed a blockade order across the country from March 25, most of the Vietnamese people and students there are facing difficulties in covering their living expenses.

The embassy has disseminated guidelines and policies from Vietnam to encourage overseas Vietnamese in New Zealand to feel secure, while no way to return to the home country has been found amid high risks of transmission and travel limitations. The embassy has set up a hotline for overseas Vietnamese to contact for help at any time.

Regarding situation of Vietnamese students, the embassy has directly contacted the focal points at local universities with large number of Vietnamese students to clarify their arising difficulties and discuss mechanisms for assisting them.

The embassy has held online meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on citizen protection, as well as discussing with the New Zealand Ministry of Education regarding the study and life of Vietnamese students. After that, the embassy issued online letters to reassure Vietnamese nationals and students in stabilising their lives during this difficult period.

Ambassador Thong also informed that, while it is unknown whether New Zealand will reopen commercial flights to foreign countries, overseas Vietnamese people have submitted applications to the embassy to register for returning to Vietnam. The embassy has regularly updated the situation and reported back to authorities in Vietnam to develop a support plan, he added.