Belgian businesses ready to support Vietnam’s pandemic prevention

At the meeting (Photo: VNA)

The reception was made within the framework of the working visit of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and high-level delegations of the Vietnamese Government to the European Union (EU) and the Kingdom of Belgium.

These two units wished to discuss the possibility of supporting Vietnam in COVID-19 prevention in terms of testing equipment and factory sanitation equipment.

Jerome Pero shared about the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is seriously affecting the lives and economies of countries, including Belgium and Vietnam, as well as the difficulties that Vietnam is facing. He also said he believed that Vietnam would overcome the pandemic with its experience.

Noting that he had been working with FESI partners to help Vietnam fight the pandemic, he added that FESI had sent a letter to the President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, proposing to provide COVID-19 vaccine for Vietnam through the COVAX Facility.

During the meeting, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien said that FESI and the Nike Group had been companions with Vietnam's sportswear and footwear manufacturing and exporting industry for many years. Vietnam is also a country that plays an important role in the value chain of this industry.

He agreed to support the reopening of production activities in Vietnam and hoped that FESI and Nike would have an effective voice with the EU and the US Government to create favorable conditions for Vietnam to have the earliest and fastest access to vaccines through COVAX or commercial mechanisms.

“For labor-intensive industries such as textiles, garments and footwear, securing a vaccine source for workers is a prerequisite and basis for restoring and maintaining long-term production, adapting to the situation and living together with the pandemic,” he said, adding that Nike currently employs 150,000 people in Vietnam./.