Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) General Secretary Anne Marie Helland made the pledge at a meeting with Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) President Nguyen Thien Nhan in central Thua Thien-Hue province on December 1.

The NCA General Secretary is attending a national workshop on environment protection and climate change response, which is to open in the province on December 2.

She praised Vietnam’s initiatives on involving all religions in the environment protection and climate change response.

The VFF President told the NCA official that Vietnam has implemented a number of comprehensive measures to adapt to climate change.

He highlighted Vietnam’s effective co-operation with NCA in social activities, especially in regards to environmental protection and the response to climate change.

Nhan said the NCA General Secretary’s participation in the workshop is significant as it came at a time with the on-going 21st Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris.

The NCA, a non-governmental organisation also known as the Nordic Assistance to Vietnam (NAV), has contributed effectively to improving public health and gender equality as well as helped vulnerable Vietnamese respond to climate change during its 20-year operation in the country.

NAV funds approximately US $1.2 million for Vietnam each year via its projects and programmes.

It has effectively carried out a programme on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment at 17 prisons in 12 provinces and worked with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee to help promote the involvement of religions and religious organisations in the fight.
The organisation has also co-ordinated with social and religious organisations in climate change adaptation and social affairs.