Quang Tri, Ireland mark 15-year cooperation
A seminar was held in Dong Ha city, Quang Tri, on March 11 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam – Ireland diplomatic relations (April 5, 1996 – 2021) and the 15th anniversary of cooperation between the central province and Ireland.
Since the two countries established diplomatic ties 25 years ago, Ireland has supported Quang Tri in conducting various humanitarian projects in education, addressing natural disaster and war aftermath, clearance of unexploded ordnance and responding to COVID-19. Ireland has provided a total EUR2.29 million in funding to these projects.
The government of Ireland has also granted more than VND52 billion in non-refundable aid to extremely disadvantaged communes under Programme 135 between 2012 and 2020.
Irish President Michael Daniel Higgins visited Quang Tri on his state visit to Vietnam in November 2016. Also during this visit, the Chairman of the Quang Tri People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chinh and Irish Foreign Minister Charles Flanagan signed a Memorandum of Understanding, in which the two sides agreed to strengthen and deepen cooperation.
Support provided by the government of Ireland has contributed to improving local living standards and boosting the province’s socio-economic development, said Hoang Nam, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee. Relations between Quang Tri and Ireland as well as friendship between their peoples will be further deepened in the time ahead, he added.
On this occasion, the provincial cultural and cinema centre has been being lit up with green lights to celebrate the Irish National Day. The lighting is expected to bring local people closer to Ireland.
