The visit was part of a 2-million-USD emergency aid project funded by the Government of Japan through UNICEF and IOM, aimed at assisting children and families affected by Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam.
Running from 2024 to 2025, the project delivers essential services such as clean water, sanitation, and child protection through UNICEF, reaching 21,251 people. meanwhile, IOM is constructing community shelters and distributing non-food relief items to nearly 17,000 people in heavily impacted provinces.
Ambassador Ito Naoki emphasised Japan’s long-standing partnership with Vietnam and its commitment to sharing expertise in disaster management. The visit reaffirmed Japan’s solidarity and its support for communities hardest hit by the typhoon, particularly in Cao Bang, said the ambassador at a meeting with the vice chairman of the Cao Bang Provincial People’s Committee.
The delegation visited Kim Cuc Commune, one of the most disadvantaged areas, to witness firsthand the impact of the disaster and UNICEF’s contributions, including improved access to water, sanitation, child protection, and mental health services. At Kim Cuc Primary School, children participated in disaster risk awareness activities through art and traditional games.
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Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki, his wife and UNICEF Representative Silvia Danailov, visit Kim Cuc Primary School, Bao Loc District, Cao Bang Province. (Photo: IOM) |
UNICEF Representative Silvia Danailov stressed that children are the most vulnerable to climate shocks and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to disaster preparedness, climate-resilient infrastructure, and child protection.
In Dinh Phung Commune, the delegation joined the groundbreaking of a new community shelter funded by Japan and implemented by IOM, which will serve over 3,000 people in future emergencies.
Typhoon Yagi was one of Vietnam’s most destructive storms of the past 70 years. It claimed 55 lives and destroyed nearly 2,000 homes in Cao Bang, leaving over 1,000 families in urgent need of safe shelter, water, and sanitation.
