Red Cross lifts ties in Laos, Cambodia

HCM CITY — The Viet Nam Red Cross will help its Lao and Cambodian counterparts train their staff, increase medical services and conduct free eye surgery for people in their border provinces.

Tran Ngoc Tang, President of the Viet Nam Red Cross, made the commitment at a Viet Nam-Laos-Cambodia Red Cross Leaders' Meeting in HCM City last Saturday.

Tang said co-operation between the three countries' associations had contributed to improving the living conditions of people in border provinces.

During the past four years of work in the field, the Viet Nam Red Cross has helped provide health care and services worth more than VND8 billion (US$410,000), he said.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of co-operation agreements between the three Red Cross organisations during the 2006-10 period. Participants also discussed co-operation programmes for the next five years.

The three associations would encourage all border provinces to better share information on natural disasters and diseases while increasing discussions on preventive measures, mutual assistance and improvement of health care during emergency situations, Tang said.

He noted that the three groups would also share information on their activities, international Red Cross movements and humanitarian co-operation programmes. — VNS

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Vietnam Red Cross to increase ties with Laos, Cambodia

The Vietnam Red Cross will help its Lao and Cambodian counterparts train their staff, increase medical services and conduct charitable eye surgery for people along border provinces of Laos and Cambodia .

Tran Ngoc Tang, President of the Vietnam Red Cross made the commitment at a Red Cross Leaders’ Meeting of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia held in Ho Chi Minh on Nov. 13.

According to Tang, cooperation between the three countries’ associations has contributed to improving living conditions of people in border provinces.

Over the past four years of signing cooperation in the field, the Vietnam Red Cross has helped the two others in health care and charitable activities worth over 8 billion VND, he said.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of cooperation agreements of the three countries’ red cross organisations in the 2006-2010 period and discussed cooperation programmes for the next five years.

The three associations will encourage all border provinces to cooperate in red cross movements in order to share information on natural disasters, diseases and discuss preventive measures, mutual assistance and improvement of health care in emergency cases, Tang said.

He noted that the three will also share information on their activities, international red cross movements, humanitarian cooperation programmes./.

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German scientists discover rare ape species in Asia

This photo from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) shows a Yellow-Cheeked Crested Gibbon

Photo: AFP

German scientists said on Tuesday they had discovered a new rare and endangered ape species in the tropical rainforests between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia by its distinctive song.

The new type of crested gibbon, one of the most endangered primate species in the world, is called the northern buffed-cheeked gibbon or Nomascus annamensis, a statement from the German Primate Centre (DPZ) said.

"The discovery of a new species of ape is a minor sensation," said Christian Roos from the DPZ.

"An analysis of the frequency and tempo of their calls, along with genetic research, show that this is, in fact, a new species."

The distinctive song "serves to defend territory or might even be a precursor of the music humans make," the statement added.

The male of the new species is covered with black fur that appears silver in sunlight. His chest is brownish and his cheeks deep orange-golden in color. The females are orange-beige in color.

Crested gibbons are found only in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and southern China. Scientists had assumed there were six different species but the recent discovery takes the number to seven.

Gibbons have become endangered due to illegal hunting. "Gibbons are kept as cute pets, or they are eaten, or they are processed into traditional medicines," said the DPZ.

Many species number only around 100 individuals, said Roos. Scientists currently have "absolutely no idea" how many of the new species might be alive, but are conducting further study to determine this, he told AFP.

Like orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos, gibbons belong to the apes, man's closest relative.

"Only if we know where which species is found and how many individuals there are can we start with serious conservation actions," added the scientist.

News of the discovery was published in the Vietnamese Journal of Primatology.

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Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia get learning network

Forty-two Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian university rectors have come to a decision to set up a university network and build the network’s operational content and mechanisms.

The decision was made at a meeting of Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian universities’ rectors at Ho Chi Minh City National University on August 27.

Addressing the meeting entitled, “Promoting cooperation in tertiary education and scientific research”, Head of the Lao National Assembly’s Socio-Cultural Affairs Committee Douangdy Outhachak emphasised the necessity to effectively implement education and training work, along with science and technology modernisation.

The establishment of the education network will help Laos strongly develop its economy, trade and service, he said.

He expressed his hope that Vietnam universities will receive more Lao students and assist Lao universities in human resource training programmes.

Associate Professor Phan Thanh Binh, who is also Rector of Ho Chi Minh City National University, said the network would be a foundation to promote cooperation among regional universities, contributing to the regional development and raising the solidarity and traditional friendship among the three countries.

The rectors also discussed the establishment of a digital university with the ASEAN Universities Network (AUN) and the development of a virtual university between Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia .

Representatives from 11 Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian universities signed a memorandum of understanding on training cooperation in which they will exchange students, lecturers, learning and scientific information and research./.

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