Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang

Replying to reporters’ question about Vietnam’s assistance to foreign representative agencies in repatriating these countries’ citizens, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said on April 3 that due to the rapid and complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries and territories have had to change regulations on exit, entry and transit while many airlines have had to cancel flights. Therefore, many foreigners in Vietnam have encountered difficulties in their travel and yet to be able to return to their home countries, she said.

Facing that situation, relevant agencies of Vietnam have been actively sharing information, coordinating closely and assisting other countries’ representative agencies to carry out citizen protection measures, resolve difficulties and problems during their quarantine and stay in Vietnam, create favourable conditions for foreign nationals to leave Vietnam in line with the country’s legal regulations, and ensure disease prevention, Hang noted.

Vietnam’s efforts and goodwill have been highly valued by other nations’ representative agencies and foreigners in the country, according to the spokeswoman.

VN’s representative agencies abroad asked to raise responsibility amid COVID-19

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to raise the sense of responsibility and keep staying in the host countries to fulfill all assigned tasks amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement was made on April 3 by the ministry’s Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang while answering reporters’ queries on COVID-19 prevention and control measures at Vietnamese representative agencies abroad.

“The agencies must ensure the safety and health of diplomatic officials and staff and their families while well performing their tasks for external work and giving the top priority to protecting Vietnamese citizens living overseas,” she noted.

Right after hearing the information about the pandemic, Hang said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has required all of its officials and employees at home and abroad to raise the sense of responsibility and strictly follow the instructions of the Party, State and Government on the prevention and control of COVID-19, along with the regulations and requirements of the host countries.

Regarding a question about whether any diplomatic official of Vietnam gets the coronavirus, the spokesperson said according to the Vietnamese Embassy in France, recently, while participating in external relations events, an official of the embassy was infected with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

Immediately after receiving the information, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instructed the embassy to notify and ask local authorities and health facilities to conduct appropriate medical monitoring and treatment for the infected official, she said.

At the same time, the embassy was also urged to proactively implement health care, medical monitoring and quarantine measures, and ensure hygiene conditions in the entire representative agency, thus preventing the spread of the disease that affects the health of other officials and their relatives, she added.VNA