As many as 493 foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working in Vietnam, state media reported Tuesday, citing the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) at a meeting on Nov 16. The number of foreign NGOs has doubled in the past decade. They have disbursed roughly $2.4 billion in 28,000 projects in the country for the last ten years. Foreign NGOs have provided approximately $300 million in aid per year to Vietnam in the past five years, President of VFF Nguyen Thien Nhan said at the meeting hailing contributions of foreign NGOs. Mr. Nhan honored 45 organizations for their typical donations to the country over the last years, noting that the financial support has been an important source enabling Vietnam to carry out its development projects. Foreign NGOs in Vietnam gear their special focuses on hunger elimination and poverty reduction and sustainable development with an aim to improve livelihood in the country where many parts having income of less than $2 dollar per day. The organizations’ support has mostly gone to solving social issues, including bettering healthcare and education and environmental protection. Marko Lovrekovic, co-managing director of the VUFO-NGO Resource Center, told the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper that the quality of programs run by NGOs is more important than the number of NGOs in Vietnam. “I think Vietnam does not need to increase the number of NGOs. I think the country needs to help NGOs better coordinate and implement their projects. The biggest issues now are about legislation and policies, and the legal environment,” Lovrekovic said. (Dai Doan Ket – Great Unity Nov 17 p3, VTV Nov 16)
