The Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa has handed over another 100,000 face masks to representatives of Namibia and Botswana.

Vietnamese Ambassador Hoang Van Loi hands over 50,000 face masks to Namibian Ambassador to South Africa Veiccoh K. Nghiwete. (Photo: VNA)

The donation was part of Vietnam’s ongoing efforts to help African countries overcome the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. It was crowd-funded by overseas Vietnamese in South Africa, according to the Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Hoang Van Loi who presented the gifts to the Ambassador of Namibia and Charge d'Affaires of the Botswana Embassy.

Loi affirmed Covid-19 prevention has always been the focus and urgent mission of the Vietnamese government. It also considers the health and life of residents the first priority, he added. The ambassador also expressed his concern over the pandemic in Namibia and Botswana, and shared Vietnam’s anti-pandemic experience.

On his part, Namibian Ambassador to South Africa Veiccoh K. Nghiwete extended his appreciation for the donation from the overseas Vietnamese community. He said Vietnamese people have long been known as heroic, industrious and enthusiastic. He now even more impresses with their friendliness, kindness and sincerity. Nghiwete said the face masks are testaments to the friendship and solidarity between the two nations.

Charge d'Affaires of the Botswana Embassy Gaogane Tiny Mothobi also extended his deep gratitude to the Vietnamese people, saying the face masks would soon be sent home for effective use in the context of the COVID-19 complexity in the African countries.

Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Hoang Van Loi (L) hands over 50,000 face masks to Charge d'Affaires of the Botswana Embassy Gaogane Tiny Mothobi. (Photo: VNA)

In late July, the Vietnamese community and agencies in South Africa strived to implement the program to give 1 million face masks to people from South Africa and neighboring countries, hoping to join efforts with African peoples to curb Covid-19.

The face masks donated by the Vietnamese community in South Africa were given to some schools, localities and communities in South Africa. As the Ambassador of Vietnam to South Africa and Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini, Hoang Van Loi also contacted the representatives of the other African countries to share the gift from Vietnam.

At the ceremony to handover 50,000 medical face masks to the representative of the Embassy of Eswatini in South Africa to support the African country combat Covid-19, the Vietnamese Ambassador said the face masks were a gift from the Vietnamese community in South Africa who hoped to support other peoples in the spirit of solidarity based on the people of Vietnam’s “the leaves protect tattered ones” tradition.

In South Africa, the Vietnamese Embassy has also organized delegations to visit and donate face masks to schools in Pretoria. The mask-donating program will continue to be implemented for some schools and residential communities in other localities in South Africa in the near future, according to NDO.

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Jasmine Le