SAF Coordinated Delivery of Humanitarian Aid to Vietnam in Aftermath of Successive Typhoons

Personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) Changi Regional HADR Coordination Centre (RHCC) taking stock of the SAF’s humanitarian aid.

A Caritas Humanitarian Aid and Relief Initiatives Singapore (CHARIS) representative handing over humanitarian aid to the SAF's Changi RHCC representative.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has coordinated the delivery of humanitarian aid supplies to Vietnam, at the request of the Vietnamese government, in response to the successive typhoons that struck the country and caused widespread damage and casualties.

Coordinated by the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Coordination Centre (Changi RHCC), more than five tonnes of aid contributed by the SAF and non-governmental organisation Caritas Humanitarian Aid and Relief Initiatives Singapore (CHARIS) will be transported via commercial air freight to Vietnam. The relief supplies include thermal blankets and hygiene kits to support sustenance needs, in accordance with Vietnam’s request.

Colonel Lew Tze Soon, Director of Changi RHCC, emphasised the importance of collaboration in humanitarian and disaster relief operations. He said, “Changi RHCC and the SAF stand ready and committed to supporting regional humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, to provide essential humanitarian assistance and relief to the people of Vietnam. We will continue to work closely with civilian partners such as local and regional non-governmental organisations.”

This humanitarian assistance underscores the warm and friendly bilateral defence relations between Singapore and Vietnam, and builds on the close HADR cooperation following the signing of the renewed bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between the two countries in 2022.