Cowden support program

AFD will assist the Hanoi government in developing priority programs such as improving air quality, wholesale markets, urban logistics, waste management and treatment, among others. The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is willing to support Hanoi in transport, urban and environmental projects, Country Director of AFD Fabrice Richy said at a meeting with Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung in Hanoi on November 25. Fabrice Richy stressed that AFD has maintained a long standing relationship with Hanoi. Under the cooperation agreement, AFD will assist the Hanoi government in developing priority programs such as air quality improvement, wholesale markets, urban logistics, waste management and treatment, among others. Country Director of AFD Fabrice Richy and Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung. Photo: Thuy Linh The investment program will focus on building smart cities, developing cities sustainable and … [Read more...] about AFD willing to support Hanoi in transport, urban and environment projects

Students play in the front yard of Hoa Ninh Primary School in Hoa Vang District, Da Nang. The school, which was badly damaged by floods, has had its infrastructure improved as part of the ‘Healthy School Project’ funded by CBRE Viet Nam. — Photo courtesy of CBRE Viet Nam More than 4,000 students and teachers from five primary schools that were affected by heavy floods and the COVID pandemic in Da Nang have benefited from the 'Building Healthy' school programme. The schools in Hoa Vang District have been given a total of VND1.1 billion (US$49,700) in funding from the commercial real estate CBRE Viet Nam’s COVID-19 rescue fund. The project, which was implemented by the East Meets West Foundation (EMWF), will provide school facilities, repair flood-destroyed infrastructure items, install drinkable water systems and provide information on how to disaster-resilient in the future, as well as raise awareness on daily cleaning habits among school students and teachers. Dinh Ngoc … [Read more...] about Disaster and COVID-19 affected schools get support

The workshop takes place on Friday at the Intercontinental Landmark 72 Hotel, Hà Nội. — Photo VNA/VNS Anh Đức HÀ NỘI — "Việt Nam is consistent in protecting and promoting human rights to meet the goal of 'human rights for all'," said a foreign affairs official. "At the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Việt Nam accepted and enacted many recommendations to protect vulnerable groups," Lê Thị Thu Hằng, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and spokesperson for the ministry, told an international workshop on Friday. The event titled "Protection against Violence and Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: International and Việt Nam's Experiences" was jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Hà Nội. "Legal frameworks and policies to counteract against violence and discrimination based on sexual … [Read more...] about Việt Nam continues to strengthen cooperation to fight against LGBTQ+ discrimination

The National Assembly will this week discuss how to provide more jobs for Vietnam’s citizens, Photo: Le Toan Over the past seven months, Nguyen Duc Minh has been in a lurch to feed his 4-member family, with his wife having had to stop working since late last year for a garment company in Hanoi. Before that time, Minh had been working for a Japanese company based in the capital’s Thang Long Industrial Park for four years. However, the company, producing electronics and plastics equipment, has made a staff cutback of 150 employees including Minh, whose monthly income was about VND7 million ($300). “The company had to reduce production caused by a decrease in export orders from Japan, South Korea, and some European markets,” Minh said. “I hope to be employed again by the company as I learned that the company is going to recover.” In Dong Anh district’s Kim Chung commune, home to Minh’s family, thousands of unemployed people are commonly seen now. They used to work in Thang Long … [Read more...] about All policies on table to ignite enterprises

S&P forecast Vietnam’s GDP will grow 6.9% in 2022 before settling closer to its long-term trend of growing 6.5%-7% from 2023 onward. S&P Global Ratings on May 26 raised its long-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Vietnam to 'BB+' from 'BB'. S&P expects Vietnam's economy to continue its upward trend. Source: S&P The rating agency also affirmed the country’s short-term rating at ‘B’ with a stable outlook. “The stable outlook reflects our expectations that over the next 12-24 months, Vietnam's economy will continue to recover from the challenges posed by the pandemic over the past two years. This will support the external position and rein in fiscal deficits,” it noted. S&P added it could raise the ratings if Vietnam's institutional settings improve considerably, in ways that augment policy predictability and transparency. Such favorable changes in the policy environment could bolster investor confidence in the … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s long-term credit rating upgraded to “BB+”: S&P

The AFD and EU have been actively supporting Vietnam in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Vietnam will receive financial aid from the EU and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to reduce the vulnerability to climate hazards in several towns in four northern and central provinces. The project is jointly co-financed with a EUR5 million (US$5.36 million) grant from the EU, a EUR123 million ($132 million) ODA loan from the AFD, and EUR 28 million ($30 million) from provincial budgets. The principal goal is to help localities adapt to climate change and recover from natural disasters such as flooding, typhoons, and drought. Delegates attend the launching ceremony. Photo: the Embassy of France in Vietnam The regional towns include Phat Diem in the northern province of Ninh Binh, Ngoc Lac in the central province of Thanh Hoa, and Hoang Mai in the central province of Nghe An, Huong Khe, and Thach Ha in the central province of Ha Tinh. … [Read more...] about AFD, EU strengthen urban climate resilience in Vietnam

Garment production for export at Kim Dung Textile and Garment Company in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: SGGP) Dependence on imported raw materials Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, said that the total number of enterprises participating in the textile and garment sector in Vietnam, including foreign and domestic enterprises, is more than 7,000. Of which, only 18 percent of them produce fabric materials, 12 percent produce yarn, 2 percent produce other materials, and the rest are garment enterprises. This fact has put the textile industry in front of the challenge of unstable growth due to its dependence on imported raw materials. Currently, each year, Vietnam imports 100 percent of cotton with an estimated value of US$3.2 billion and 60 percent of fabric with an estimated value of $14 billion. The US is the largest cotton and fabric import market of Vietnam, followed by China, Japan, South Korea, and … [Read more...] about Vietnamese textile-garment industry strong but not stable

At the scholarship-awarding ceremony (Photo: SGGP) At the program, 300 children with disabilities and orphans who are children of trade union members, workers, officials, and laborers in Ho Chi Minh City were able to participate in games as well as enjoy cultural performances, and fashionable performances with recycled materials. On this occasion, the City Trade Union Social Work Center also awarded 30 scholarships to disadvantaged children who overcame difficulties to study well. Units and benefactors gave away 300 toys, 220 portions, beverages, 200 boxes of confectionery, and 750 T-shirts totally worth more than VND150 million (US$6,437). According to Mr. Nguyen Mai Huy, Deputy Director of the Center for Social Work of Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union, the program has created a healthy playground for children with disabilities and orphans. Moreover, at the same time, it helped connect units, businesses, and donors for a meaningful activity full of love for workers’ kids in this … [Read more...] about Orphans, disabled kids receive scholarships on occasion of Int’l Children’s Day

That is the statement of Le Quoc Thinh, Director of Cuc Phuong Tourism Services Joint Stock Company (Vedana Resort) when introducing events aiming at promoting Cuc Phuong and Ninh Binh tourism after a long period of shutdown due to COVID-19. According to Chairman of Nho Quan district People’s Committee Hoang Khac Tiep, “Nho Quan is endowed with many historical relics and landmarks such as Van Trinh cave, Yen Quang lake, Dong Chuong lake, Cuc Phuong hot mineral water.” In particular, with the natural reserve area and new-stone-age cultural relics, Cuc Phuong National Park has received the title of Asia's leading national park for two consecutive years (2019, 2020) rated by World Travel Awards. It is worth mentioning that Nho Quan has nearly 30,000 ethnic people living in Muong villages. The strategy set by the district is to exploit existing indigenous cultural elements to combine with the trend of ecotourism, which is thriving in Ninh Binh province. Tourists have opportunities to … [Read more...] about Green Tourism – An ideal way to spread Muong ethnic culture

The elections were conducted within the framework of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)’s 78th session held in Bangkok from May 23 to 27. Vietnam is among the three and five countries with highest votes at CSAM and SIAP, respectively. The election of the General Statistics Office and VIAEP to the Governing Councils of SIAP and CSAM demonstrated ESCAP member countries’ high appreciation of Vietnam's contribution as well as its role and position in ESCAP. The participation of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and the Vietnamese delegation at the 78th Session of ESCAP on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of ESCAP's establishment (1947-2022) and 45 years of Vietnam's joining in the United Nations (1977-2022) showed the country's commitment and strong support for ESCAP's activities in a bid to promote sustainable development in the region. That was an important factor for countries to decide to support Vietnam. … [Read more...] about Vietnamese offices elected to SIAP and CSAM