He is also one of the 10 persons receiving the ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes Award on the occasion of ASEAN’s 50th founding anniversary. Huynh, 88, has spent more than six decades studying biology, greatly contributing to biodiversity conservation in Vietnam and other countries in the region. He is able to inspire the community to biodiversity conservation and development and was recognized as one of the leading scientists of Vietnam. Prof., Dr. Dang Huy Huynh has become the first Vietnamese to be honored as an ASEAN Biodiversity Hero. He has had a number of valuable scientific works, including 154 studies published on prestigious Vietnamese and foreign science magazines and 14 books on animals, ecology, biodiversity conservation and environmental protection. The scientist also played a significant role in launching an annual workshop to share experience in biodiversity conservation in Truong Son mountain range, … [Read more...]

Nearly 3,000 high-voltage bulbs - five percent of the city’s total public lighting system – will be replaced by the LED public lighting system, beginning this September, and go operational in October. With the LED lighting system, Da Nang expects to save 1 million KWh per year. Photo: baocongthuong.com.vn The city has called for funding via the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model to install LED lighting system. With the LED lighting system, Da Nang expects to save 1 million KWh per year - 12 percent of its power consumption, by 2020. Da Nang was selected as an APEC city for a Low-Carbon Model Town Project at the 44th APEC energy meeting in Washington DC in 2012. The city has also proposed battery-powered bikes, use of renewable energy; a metro system; and rapid bus transit as low carbon measures towards making Da Nang a green city by 2025. It has already cut 12,000 tons of carbon … [Read more...]

The program is developed by the ChildFund Australia, a non-profit organization working for poverty alleviation for children in developing countries, as heard a press conference in Hanoi on August 15. Pass it Back program for children living in rural and remote villages of Laos and Vietnam. Photo: tinhuyhoabinh.vn Under the “Pass It Back” curriculum, children and young people with little or no access to organized sports will be equipped to overcome challenges, inspire positive social change and pass it back to their communities. According to Deborah Leaver, Country Director of ChildFund Vietnam, the sport brings a new approach to promote gender equality as there is no rule about gender of the players. Thus, the program will help boys and girls have equal opportunities to develop life skills. Bui Thi Tang, a rugby player in Kim Boi district of Hoa Binh province, said that: “Through activities in … [Read more...]

At a recent press meeting held in Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Tran Dac Phu, director of the general department, said that students in many provinces and cities nationwide will start the 2017-2018 academic year on September 5. Students washing their hands frequently in order to prevent diseases such as hand, foot and mouth disease, which is starting its peak season. Photo: pasteurhcm.gov.vn Phu required preventive health officials nationwide to guide school managers and teachers to manage waste and water containers away from a school’s campus to prevent from mosquitoes, which transmit dengue fever to humans. Kindergarten toys and other devices should be washed to avoid transmission of hand, foot and mouth disease among children, he added. “If one kid gets the disease, it is easy to transmit to others at school,” Phu said. Nguyen Tri Dung, Head of the HCM City Preventive Health Centre, said that … [Read more...]

Handing over certificates of merit and awards to outstanding mathematical works  The awards worth nearly VND 10 billion were handed over by the national key program on mathematical development in the 2010-2020 period, in presence of Professor Tran Van Nhung, General Secretary of the State Council for Professor Title, Deputy Head of the program’s steering committee; Professor Ngo Bao Chau; representatives of Ministry of Education and Training. This is the fifth year that tinternationally published mathematical projects have been awarded, and universities and high schools students excellent at math have been presented with scholarships. Since 2012, over VND 10 billion has been awarded to 356 math projects by 742 authors, with a reward of from VND 17.25 million to 30.25 million per project. Meanwhile, nearly VND 33.8 billion worth scholarships have been granted to 1,517 students with good mathematical records have … [Read more...]

Huynh Tan Duc, director of the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development, said the forest area in question had been allocated for acacia – one of the most profitable woods in the central region, but this stole the endangered langurs’ natural habitat. A gray-shanked douc langur (pygathrix cinerea) in central Viet Nam. Quang Nam Province plans to restore a 80ha forest to protect a herd of 50 gray-shanked douc langurs in Nui Thanh District.   He said the langurs now live in a 5ha primary forest, and face being hunted by locals as well as poachers. “We will replant some indigenous species to provide food for the primates. A large area of forest will be restored from the commune to the riverhead of Phu Ninh, Bac Tra My and Tien Phuoc districts in the province,” Duc said, adding that the forest area will help connect with primary forests in neighbouring Quang Ngai province. “The … [Read more...]

VOV’s reporter Le Phuong reports on government and community efforts aimed at helping Agent Orange/Dioxin victims. Between 1961 and 1971 the US army sprayed about 80 million liters of hazardous chemicals on one-fourth of Vietnam’s southern area. The defoliant Agent Orange has had long-lasting effects on the environment, the ecosystem, and people’s health. The pain of Agent Orange/ Dioxin 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange/Dioxin and more than 3 million people were victims of chemical warfare. Hundreds of thousands of them died and hundreds of thousands more are still struggling with fatal diseases.  Studies by the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center have shown that Agent Orange/Dioxin causes long-lasting medical and biological consequences that can affect 3 or more generations. The health problems from which AO victims … [Read more...]

The Ministry of Planning and Investment held its second biannual meeting to discuss and exchange seven groups of issues under the Vietnam-Japan Joint Initiative Phase VI in Hanoi on August 2, 2017. One of the major issues raised by the Japanese side at the meeting was labour and wages. Mr Nguyen Tien Dang, Department of Labour Relations and Wages under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the current issue is unclear minimum wage calculation methods. Although roadmaps are outlined, there are not enough fundamental database and minimum worker livelihood expense survey methods to have the ground for reasonable calculation. The wage growth rate is far away from CPI growth and GDP growth. This affected business performance and development of enterprises investing in Vietnam. In order to address outstanding matters faced by businesses, Japan and Vietnam will discuss methods and procedures for determining the minimum wage. In … [Read more...]

NDO – Nguyen Thi Doan, Former Vice President and also Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association for Study Encouragement, visited and provided a financial aid of VND150 million (US$6,600) for schools in Yen Bai province’s Mu Cang Chai district on August 9, aiming to help them overcome the aftermaths of recent flash floods. >>> Joint efforts made to support flood victims In addition, Yen Bai province received billions of Vietnam dong in assistance from many other provinces and organisations, with VND1.2 billion from the Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front Committee, VND300 million from Thai Nguyen province, VND500 million from the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, 100 million from Hoa Binh province and another VND100 million from the Vietnam Farmers’ Association. * On the same day, fund-raising ceremonies to support flood-hit provinces in the Northwestern region were held by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for … [Read more...]

NDO – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has suggested that national contributors from Dong Nai province should promote their revolutionary tradition to act as good models for locals to follow, contributing to local socio-economic development and building a prosperous country. The government senior official made the suggestion while hosting the delegation of revolutionary contributors from the southern province at the government headquarters yesterday. Reporting to the deputy PM, Deputy Head of Dong Nai Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Ho Van Loc stated that the province has more than 56,000 people with commendable services to the revolution, of which more than 13,000 beneficiaries receive monthly allowances. Over the past years, Dong Nai has synchronously implemented a range of programmes related to national contributors, such as posthumously conferring the title of Vietnamese Heroic Mother, building gratitude houses for contributors, and resolving … [Read more...]

The electronics industry is one of the most globally integrated industries in terms of organisation. Engaging in global electronics supply chains requires electronics companies to improve their competitiveness and ensure compliance with Vietnamese laws and international labour standards. This was affirmed by Mr Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), at the Dialogue on Promoting Labour Legislation Compliance in the supply chain of electronics sector, held in Hanoi by VCCI and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Production processes in different countries and regions connect companies in many different stages in value chains through complicated ownership forms and inter-company relations. The development of this interconnection network is aimed to enhance performance and usually vertically structured. But, this may lead to more … [Read more...]

The flag raising ceremony at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister (FM) Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep, and Vice Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Van Suu, among others.  Delegates attending the flag raising ceremony in Hanoi  Foreign guests at the ceremony included heads of the diplomatic corps in Hanoi and Venezuela Ambassador to Vietnam Jorge Rondon Uzcategui, and ambassadors and embassy representatives of ASEAN member countries and ASEAN partner countries in the capital city.  Guards of honor approach positions  Addressing the ceremony, Deputy FM Bui Thanh Son emphasized that the foundation of the ASEAN Community in 2015 is a historic milestone in the connectivity … [Read more...]

NDO – Continuing with the working programme in Son La, a delegation from the National Assembly (NA) led by its Deputy Chairman Do Ba Ty, together with the Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and local leaders, visited and encouraged flood victims in Nam Pam commune, Muong La district, those suffered most from the historic floods in early August. NA Deputy Chairman Ty and the delegation spoke with the local people, encouraging them to overcome their losses and to stabilise their lives. The deputy chairman asked the local authorities and functional forces of Muong La district to urgently search for the missing persons and pay attention to the lives of flood victims, especially families with members who have died or gone missing. According to the report from Muong La district’s Steering Committee for natural disaster prevention and search and rescue, as of Monday afternoon, the floods have taken the lives of ten people … [Read more...]

This morning, relevant authorities reached a compromise on the minimum wage increase plan, setting 6.5 per cent to submit to the prime minister for approval. The number was announced by the representative of the National Salary Council at the third meeting organised this morning to discuss the increase of regional minimum wages in 2018.  Accordingly, if the prime minister approves, from early 2018 the minimum wages will be increased by an extra of VND180,000-230,000 ($7.91-10.11), depending on the region. (See the table below) Region Minimum wage in 2017 (million VND)   Minimum wage from early 2018 (million VND) Region … [Read more...]

While receiving Chief Representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Youssouf Abdel-Jelil in Hanoi on August 4, Thinh asked the UNICEF to continue its support to Vietnam in preventing child abuse, protecting children from injuries, and aiding children of disadvantaged families, especially in remote, border, sea and island areas, in addition to reducing the proportion of children with disabilities and congenital heart disease. ​Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (R) receives Chief Representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Youssouf Abdel-Jelil. The Vice President also proposed the UNICEF share more experience in caring, protecting and supporting children, while coordinating with the Southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City to build a child-friendly city and expand this model to other localities. She took this occasion to thank the UNICEF for its assistance to and cooperation with Vietnam over the … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA – The fifth Vietnam-Laos Ministerial Conference on Cooperation in Labour and Social Welfare was held in Vietnam’s central province of Da Nang, on August 4. Addressing the event, Vietnamese Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung highlighted the pragmatic and effective cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in all fields, including the affiliation between the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam (MoLISA) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Laos (MLSA). He expressed his appreciation for the Lao side’s coordination in accepting Vietnamese labourers to work on projects in Laos, as well as the affiliation between the two ministries in opening an orthopaedics and rehabilitation centre in Can village, Vientiane, Laos, in December 2015. Dung also discussed the MoLISA’s scholarships in labour and social welfare for the Lao side, their delegation exchanges, and their … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA – Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh has reaffirmed Vietnam’s strong commitments to implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the country’s Law on Children. While receiving Chief Representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Youssouf Abdel-Jelil in Hanoi on August 4, Vice President Thinh asked the UNICEF to continue its support to Vietnam in preventing child abuse, protecting children from injuries, and aiding children of disadvantaged families, especially in remote, border, sea and island areas, in addition to reducing the proportion of children with disabilities and congenital heart disease. The Vice President also proposed the UNICEF share more experience in caring, protecting and supporting children, while coordinating with the southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City to build a child-friendly city and expand this model to other localities. She took this occasion to thank the UNICEF … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA –The fifth Vietnam-Laos Ministerial Conference on Cooperation in Labour and Social Welfare was held in Vietnam’s central province of Da Nang, on August 4. Addressing the event, Vietnamese Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung underlined the pragmatic and effective cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in all fields, including the affiliation between the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam (MoLISA) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Laos (MLSA). He appreciated the Lao side’s coordination in accepting Vietnamese labourers to work on projects in Laos, as well as the affiliation between the two ministries in opening an orthopaedics and rehabilitation centre in Can village, Vientiane, Laos, in December 2015. Dung also talked about the MoLISA’s scholarships in labour and social welfare for the Lao side, their delegation exchanges, and cooperation in human resource development, especially … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA –The fifth Vietnam-Laos Ministerial Conference on Cooperation in Labour and Social Welfare was held in Vietnam’s central province of Da Nang, on August 4. Addressing the event, Vietnamese Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung underlined the pragmatic and effective cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in all fields, including the affiliation between the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam (MoLISA) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Laos (MLSA). He appreciated the Lao side’s coordination in accepting Vietnamese labourers to work on projects in Laos, as well as the affiliation between the two ministries in opening an orthopaedics and rehabilitation centre in Can village, Vientiane, Laos, in December 2015. Dung also talked about the MoLISA’s scholarships in labour and social welfare for the Lao side, their delegation exchanges, and cooperation in human resource development, especially … [Read more...]

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) on Wednesday held its second biannual discussion of the Việt Nam-Japan Joint Initiative Phase VI, as well as future trade and investment opportunities between the two nations. Production chain at the Japanese-owned Yamato Industries at the Quế Võ Industrial Zone in the northern province of Bắc Ninh. - VNA/VNS Photo Danh Lam Nagai Katsuro of the Japanese Embassy to Việt Nam stressed that in recent years, co-operation between the two countries has been extremely close. The Joint Initiative Phase VI that ends this year is divided into main seven issues that Japan wishes to solve and implement together with Việt Nam, so that the latter can improve its business and investment environment in the near future, said Nagai. The initiative … [Read more...]