Northwest Vietnam is benefiting from a project worth US$24 million to mainly develop community-based economic models. Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski has led a delegation to visit projects in Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Phu Tho that are benefitting from Australian support. Ambassador Andrew meets with Mr Dang Xuan Phong, Party Secretary of Lao Cai province. Photo: Embassy of Australia in Hanoi The visit on January 11-13 shows that Australia remains committed to supporting socio-economic development in Northwest Vietnam. In the meeting with leaders in Lao Cai and Yen Bai, the discussions confirmed that the northwest region remains a focus in the broader Australia-Vietnam bilateral partnership. Australian support is growing from an initial focus on clean water and agriculture to now include transport infrastructure, women’s economic empowerment, tourism development and private sector development to better the lives of men and women, … [Read more...] about Australia continues supporting development in Northwest Vietnam
Equitization
Common voice matters to Global South countries: Vietnam President
Vietnam believed that developing countries need to join hands to strengthen the global foundational elements for better development. Global South countries need a common voice to make substantial contributions to the promotion of multilateralism, the Vietnamese President said at the Voice of the Global South Summit hosted by India. Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the Voice of the Global South Summit held by India on Jan 12-13. Photo: Embassy of India in Hanoi President Nguyen Xuan Phuc addressed the Inaugural Leaders’ session of the summit hosted by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is aimed at advancing the role of developing nations in global discourse coinciding with India’s G20 Presidency 2023. “In this context of multi-crisis, multi-challenging, and multi-transformation, we must join hands to strengthen the global foundational elements for peace and prosperity,” Phuc said at the event attended by 125 countries, the largest-ever virtual … [Read more...] about Common voice matters to Global South countries: Vietnam President
Vietnamese, RoK top legislators hold talks
Welcoming the speaker to Vietnam on the first days of 2023, the Vietnamese top legislator expressed his belief that this visit will contribute to strengthening the relations of the two countries, including the two parliaments. The two leaders agreed to continue consolidating political trust, especially in the context of complicated devleopments in international and regional situation. The Vietnamese top legislator emphasized that strengthening political and diplomatic trust will be the foundation to promote cooperation in other fields such as economics, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges. On the basis of the recent upgrade of the bilateral relations to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" status, the two leaders agreed to expand collaboration in technology transfer, human resources training, and defense technology. He proposed the RoK continue assisting Vietnam in overcoming post-war consequences, including the project on the Vietnam-Republic of Korea peace … [Read more...] about Vietnamese, RoK top legislators hold talks
Vietnam, RoK target US$150 billion trade turnover by 2030
The top legislators of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have agreed to swiftly meet the target of raising bilateral trade turnover to US$100 billion by 2023 and to US$150 billion by 2030 in a more sustainable and balanced manner by making full use of existing bilateral and multilateral trade agreements. National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (R) and Speaker of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s NA Kim Jin-pyo Talks were held between National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Speaker of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s NA Kim Jin-pyo on January 17 in Hanoi following an official welcome ceremony held for the top Korean legislator and his entourage on the same day. During the course of talks, NA Chairman Hue warmly welcomed the Korean parliamentary speaker, his wife, and the delegation’s visit to Vietnam, saying that the trip comes right after the two countries announced the upgrading of bilateral ties to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" on the … [Read more...] about Vietnam, RoK target US$150 billion trade turnover by 2030
The vital mission to ramp up foreign capital attraction
What were the most outstanding points about Vietnam’s foreign investment capital attraction in 2022? Phan Huu Thang, former director-general of the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment The statistics were published widely and the spotlight was the record of disbursed capital, but there were many other highlights. The first thing is the government’s drastic and flexible enforcement of resolutions and policies to create an equitable, unrestricted funding environment, simultaneously supporting the foreign-invested enterprise (FIE) community to overcome difficulties caused by the pandemic and political conflicts. The task force followed closely the enterprises’ difficulties to have solutions on time. Besides that, it is necessary to mention the domestic enterprises’ initiative and effort to overcome an infinity of challenges, such as lending rate hikes and the fluctuation of the global market, especially the frozen export markets in … [Read more...] about The vital mission to ramp up foreign capital attraction
Women-led producers demonstrating empowerment
With the Lunar New Year arriving, delegations from the Australian embassy to Vietnam and GREAT continue to work with the northern mountainous district of Lao Cai and Son La provinces, where ethnic minority communities receive support from these two organisations. Ms May of the Red Dao community cooperative showcases her traditional herbal bath products, Source: vietnam.embassy.gov.au. These visits also serve as field trips to survey and evaluate the effectiveness of GREAT models over the years and, at the same time, provide a more effective plan for the second phase that is about to begin. Ambassador Andrew Goledzinowski and the Australian embassy delegation last year were joined by the Vietnam and Lao Cai Women’s Union on a visit to Hung Hien noodle cooperative in Lao Cai’s Bat Xat district. He was impressed by the strength of women’s leadership and the opportunities created for local producers and service providers. Ambassador Goledzinowski noted the importance of … [Read more...] about Women-led producers demonstrating empowerment
Initiatives lift rural female development
The days just before the Lunar New Year are also the busiest days for Cao Thi Tam, director of Tan Xuan Bamboo Shoot Cooperative 269 in Son La province. It is when her cooperative sells the most products, and she can pay the highest wages. Initiatives lift rural female development Tam is not a native to this land, but her and her family have lived and established a business in Tan Xuan for years. They understand the poverty of the people here, especially among the many ethnic women who have no jobs and limited opportunities. Tam’s family was always relatively well-off in the area, with income from a grocery store business. However, Tam harboured larger ambitions and wanted to support local people’s economic development to contribute to where her family lives. “Tan Xuan is a land with rich sources of agricultural materials, including bamboo shoots, but people often do not have enough to eat and wear. Many people go to the forest to dig a few kilograms of bamboo … [Read more...] about Initiatives lift rural female development
Vietnam makes progress in population issues: UNFPA
Vietnam has taken good care of vulnerable groups while promoting people’s rights for better population quality in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. Vietnam, which was really suffering from poverty, has done a wonderful job to make sure that it achieved set socio-economic targets in the past decades, especially population-related issues. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s Representative in Vietnam Naomi Kitahara shared the idea at the closing of 2022 – the year that marked Vietnam’s GDP growth of 8.02%, the fastest expansion in 25 years, the approval of revised Domestic Law, among others. UNFPA’s Representative in Vietnam Naomi Kitahara. Photos: UNFPA Vietnam “I think it’s important to acknowledge that Vietnam has been excellent in achieving socioeconomic growth and addressing what is the abilities of some of the key population groups,” Naomi Kitahara said in an interview with The Hanoi Times . From her perspective, inequality … [Read more...] about Vietnam makes progress in population issues: UNFPA
The pride of agricultural backbone
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan Last year, Vietnam’s agricultural industry spectacularly overcame hurdles with impressive growth. The profound meaning behind those impressive numbers is the pride in contributing to ensuring the social security of nearly 10 million farmers and the country’s food security. In 2022, the whole country faces challenges globally, such as inflation and obstacles in the production and export of agricultural products in the context the prices of domestic inputs are escalating. In addition, many key export markets are still tightening spending due to inflation. However, Vietnam’s agriculture has cemented its position as the backbone of the economy with an export turnover of $53 billion, higher by $3 billion than the initial target assigned by the government. The sector contributed partly to the economy’s general growth and to ensure social security, especially food security. The Russia-Ukraine conflict together with other … [Read more...] about The pride of agricultural backbone