Pacific Partnership 2017 deepens VN-U.S. relations
VGP - The Pacific Partnership 2017 departed the central city of Da Nang on May 18 after completing ten days of disaster response training, medical and engineering subject matter expert exchanges, cooperative health engagements and community relations events.
This year marks the fourth consecutive year and the eighth time the mission has visited Viet Nam in the past 11 years.
Pacific Partnership and Vietnamese personnel conducted subject matter expert exchanges for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) workshop that culminated in a field training exercise.
Three separate engineering projects were carried out by Vietnamese service members, U.S. Navy Seabees and Marine combat engineers at the Hoa Lien Nursery School, Hoa Hai Medical Clinic, and Hoa Nhon Community Center.
“Pacific Partnership 17 and the U.S.N.S. Fall River’s visit to Da Nang City show the depth of the U.S.-Vietnamese partnership, particularly in capacity to coordinate regional humanitarian assistance and disaster response”, noted U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Ted Osius.
Personnel from the U.S. and Viet Nam worked together to train local medical professionals; build new classrooms for area school and a new multi-function community shelter, highlighting the shared focus on enhancing medical care, education and disaster preparedness as a driver for sustainable social and economic development, he added.
The visit by USNS Fall River to Viet Nam is in conjunction with the 22nd anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Viet Nam. Along with other cooperation, Pacific Partnership underscores the deepening relationship between the U.S. and Viet Nam.
By Thuy Dung
