Equitization

Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) countries should step up close and effective cooperation to repel and contain COVID-19 as no one is safe while others remain infected with COVID-19, and no nation is safe while others still have to grapple with the virus. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the 7th Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) Summit, September 9, 2021 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made the above statemtent in his remarks at the 7th GMS Summit chaired by Cambodian PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Septmeber 9. Pham emphasized the need to promote access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs in an open, equitable and transparent manner, increase the sharing of vaccines through multilateral and bilateral mechanisms, and accelerate technology transfer to gain self-reliance in regional production of vaccines and treatment drugs for various diseases. He suggested the Asian Development Bank mull over the possibility of more flexible …

[Read more...] about PM calls on Greater Mekong Sub-Region countries to step up cooperation against COVID-19

Your Excellency Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Your Excellency Masatsugu Asakawa, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Esteemed GMS Leaders, Ladies and gentlemen, It is a pleasure for me to attend and deliver my remarks at the seventh Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Summit. On behalf of the Government of Viet Nam, I would like to extend to all leaders and delegates my warmest regards and best wishes. I highly appreciate the thoughtful arrangements made by the host country Cambodia and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for this virtual Summit. Particularly, I welcome the presense of representatives from 31 international organizations and development partners as well as the business communities in and outside the region. Your participation is a clear indication of your keen interest, the important role of Cambodia and the development potential of the Mekong region. This Summit takes place amid unprecedented developments in the …

[Read more...] about Remarks by PM Pham Minh Chinh at seventh GMS Summit

One of the eight ultra-low temperature freezers offered by the COVAX Facility to Vietnam for COVID-19 vaccine preservation was installed at the Hanoi Capital High Command on Thursday, the UNICEF Vietnam reported. The remaining freezers will be installed in seven other provinces and cities, including Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Nghe An, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho and Dong Nai, to serve the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign. These specialized freezers, with the storage temperature ranging from minus 86 degrees Celsius to minus 60 degrees Celsius, are suitable to store COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine vials, the agency said. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has been a key delivery partner of the COVAX Facility, a global initiative aiming to accelerate the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing and guarantee equitable access for every country in the world. Earlier on August 11, a group of Vietnamese technological startups offered 25 similar freezers to the National Institute of Hygiene …

[Read more...] about COVAX-donated freezer for COVID-19 vaccine storage installed in Hanoi

The total state’s spending in 2021-2025 is predicted to reach VND10.26 quadrillion, of which 28 percent would be spent for investment and development. The Ministry of Finance's head office Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc has signed Decision No 1687 dated September 7 on the Ministry of Finance (MOF) action plan in the 2021-2026 tenure. Some detailed goals in the action plan include resolutions, plans and programs of the Party, National Assembly, and Government, including a policy on state budget mobilization and collection in 2021-2025 to ensure competitiveness of enterprises and attract investment capital to develop businesses in all sectors, with an emphasis on the private sector. At the same time, state financial resources are needed to implement socio-economic development tasks and ensure national security and national defence. It is expected that the mobilization rate for the State budget in 2021-2025 will be no less than 16 percent of GDP on average, of which …

[Read more...] about 28% of 2021-2025 budget slated for investment and development

France provided 672,000 doses and Italy 812,060 doses, according to a press release by UNICEF Vietnam. French Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolas Warnery said France's support aimed to demonstrate its solidarity with Vietnam in the pandemic, a statement echoed by Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro, who stated Italy stood close to Vietnam and its people in the fight against Covid-19. At a handover ceremony in Hanoi on Tuesday, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung said France and Italy's donations, as well as those via global vaccine access mechanism Covax, were appreciated for ensuring equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines. Vietnam has so far received over 11.7 million Covid-19 vaccine doses via Covax. The country has vaccinated over 30 million people with at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose, and around 5.5 million people have been fully inoculated. Vietnam aims to secure 150 million doses to vaccinate 70 percent of its 96 million population by next …

[Read more...] about France, Italy donate 1.4 mln vaccine doses to Vietnam

From second left: Kidong Park, Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Việt Nam; Lesley Miller, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Việt Nam; Nicolas Warnery, French ambassador to Việt Nam; Paolo Epifani, Charge d’Affaires Italian Embassy in Việt Nam; Vietnamese deputy health minister Trần Văn Thuấn; and Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Tô Anh Dũng participate in the symbolic handover ceremony of vaccine donation held in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh HÀ NỘI — The foreign ministry held a ceremony in Hà Nội to symbolically receive 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines donated to Việt Nam from the governments of Italy and France via COVAX. The vaccine batches – 670,080 doses from France and 812,060 doses from Italy – arrived at Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội late Monday night. Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Tô Anh Dũng expressed gratitude towards the two European countries for their …

[Read more...] about Việt Nam receives 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by Italy, France

Vietnam has so far received nearly 12 million vaccine doses via the COVAX Facility. Vietnam today received through the COVAX Facility a combined 1.48 million AstraZeneca doses donated by France and Italy, including 672,000 doses by the Government of France and 812,060 doses from the Government of Italy. Representatives of the donors at the handover ceremony on Sept 14. Photos. UNICEF Vietnam “With this donation, France is demonstrating its solidarity with Vietnam through these difficult times: We stand together with the people of Vietnam, as the country is facing a severe pandemic wave, by supporting vaccination efforts launched by the authorities,” said Ambassador of France to Vietnam Nicolas Warnery. He said this support is in line with the longstanding and successful cooperation between France and Vietnam in the medical field. “In the spirit of the strategic partnership and sincere friendship that links Italy and Vietnam, Italy stands close to the …

[Read more...] about Vietnam receives 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from France, Italy

Nearly 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been donated by France and Italy to Vietnam today “With this donation, France is demonstrating its solidarity with Vietnam through these difficult times: we stand together with the people of Vietnam, as the country is facing a severe epidemic wave, by supporting vaccination efforts launched by the authorities,” said French Ambassador Nicolas Warnery. "This support is in line with the longstanding and successful cooperation between France and Vietnam in the medical field.” Ambassador Warnery added, "vaccination is the only way out of this crisis. That is why France is committed to share 60 million doses in 2021, in addition to its financial contributions to the COVAX programme, in order to accelerate vaccination efforts worldwide. More broadly, France has been a major supporter to the ACT-A initiative which provides universal access to tests and treatments to fight COVID 19.” “In the spirit of the strategic partnership and …

[Read more...] about Vietnam receives nearly 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from France and Italy

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (left) met with European Parliament President David Sassoli. Photo: VNA During last week’s meeting between Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and European Parliament (EP) President David Sassoli, the latter said that the EP has signed the adoption of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and is now urging EU member states that have yet to adopt the deal to ratify it as soon as possible. The EVIPA, ratified by the EP and Vietnam in February and June 2020, respectively, is aimed for investments of both sides to pour into their respective territories more favourably. The EP in February 2020 also adopted the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which has been in effect for over one year. However, the EVIPA is still subject to EU member ratification procedures. To date, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, and Sweden have adopted the deal. If the EVIPA is fully ratified by …

[Read more...] about New investment nears via EVIPA sign-off

Germany has sent over 852,480 doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine to aid Vietnam in the fight against Covid-19. 852,480 doses of Astra Zeneca arrive in Vietnam The vaccine arrived in Vietnam on September 16 via the COVAX Facility and collaboration from UNICEF and WHO. German Ambassador to Vietnam Guido Hildner said that Germany stood beside Vietnam in the fight against Covid-19. No one would be safe until everyone was safe and that was why Germany and the EU support a fair and transparent vaccine roll-out programme via COVAX Facility. Kidong Park, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Vietnam expressed gratitude to Germany amid the pandemic. He also showed support for the policy to prioritise frontline workers, the elderly and people with underlying conditions. With the newest donation from Germany, Vietnam has now received a total of 12,578,110 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine via the COVAX Facility. On September 3, Germany also gave 2.5 million …

[Read more...] about Germany donates over 852,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam