Hanoi (VNA) – The 14th annual SoutheastAsia Red Cross Red Crescent Leadership Meeting kicked off in Hanoi on September21.

During the two-day event, delegates will assess the implementation ofconclusions made in the previous meeting which took place in last September inIndonesia’s Jakarta, as well as the One Billion Coalition for Resilienceprogramme, both globally and regionally.

Apart from orientations for operation in the time ahead, they will also discusshow to build a safe community and the agenda of the 21st General Assembly ofthe International Federation of Red Cross and Red CrescentSocieties and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Forum to be held in Turkey inNovember 2017.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said themeeting offers an opportunity for Red Cross Societies of the participatingcountries to exchange experience and work together to materialise targets ofthe ASEAN Community.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have constructively supported governmentsto implement humanitarian activities and international cooperation, he said.

The Vietnamese Government has considered opening a representative office of theInternational Red Cross in Vietnam, Son noted.

President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu saidthanks to the attention of the Party, State and Government, and the support ofthe International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, national Red CrossSocieties and international organisations, the VRCS has made remarkableachievements, helping to raise its position and role in the region and theglobe.

The meetingcontributes to boosting cooperation and friendship between the VRCS and othernational Red Cross Societies in the region, while reflecting the VRCS’sinternational responsibility and commitment to regional and internationalhumanitarian movements, she said.

Within the framework of the event, the VRCS and their Lao and Cambodiancounterparts will sign a cooperation agreement for 2017-2022.–VNA