Japan offers $1.5mn emergency aid to support Vietnam’s disaster recovery

Unveiled on Monday, the funding will be channeled through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to address urgent humanitarian needs and support early recovery.

Of the total amount, $1 million will go to IOM Vietnam to provide non-food relief items to more than 32,000 people in Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong Provinces, while strengthening search and rescue capacity for 20 local teams and directly benefiting about 4,000 people in disaster-prone communities.

The remaining $500,000 will be implemented through a community-based program by UNICEF Vietnam, focusing on access to clean water, improved personal and environmental sanitation, repairs to sanitation facilities, enhanced lighting in schools, and measures to promote safety for women and girls.

The program is expected to benefit around 20,000 people, including 14,000 children.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki said the assistance demonstrates the timely solidarity of the Japanese government and people with Vietnam after heavy losses caused by natural disasters.

He expressed hope that the aid would quickly reach vulnerable communities in the four provinces, helping to ease hardships and accelerate recovery.

The ambassador also said Japan is considering expanding technical cooperation through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, focusing on water resource management and infrastructure development in central Vietnam, where climate-related risks are rising.

UNICEF said Japan’s contribution will help improve access to healthcare, education, and nutrition while addressing the most urgent needs of affected families, though overall humanitarian demands remain high amid increasingly severe weather.

Silvia Danailov, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam, said UNICEF and its partners are working to restore access to safe water and sanitation, improve hygiene, and protect children from heightened disease risks after recent storms, stressing that timely international support is vital to safeguarding children’s health during recovery.

Meanwhile, Kendra Rinas, Chief of Mission of IOM in Vietnam, said the organization will provide home repair kits, essential household items and search and rescue equipment for community-based rapid response teams, helping families stabilize living conditions while strengthening preparedness for future emergencies.

Japan and Vietnam have a long-standing partnership in humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

In 2024, with support from the Japanese government, UNICEF Vietnam met urgent water, sanitation and child protection needs for nearly 35,000 people affected by typhoon Yagi in several northern provinces.

In recent years, IOM Vietnam has also delivered essential relief packages to more than 17,000 vulnerable people and supported the construction and upgrading of safe community shelters in flood- and landslide-prone areas, including Lao Cai, Cao Bang and Tuyen Quang.