President stresses agriculture’s strategic role

Developing agriculture is a strategic issue that is extremely significant to the national socio-economic development, State President Truong Tan Sang stated when addressing an event at the Vietnam Agriculture Academy in Hanoi on April 3.

The Vietnam Agriculture Academy, whose trained agronomists and agriculture managers have so far accounted for 65 percent of the country’s total, needs to absorb global cutting-edge scientific and technological advances to help with the restructuring of the agriculture sector, the State President said.

The Academy should look forward to the position as a highly prestigious institute in the fields of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in Southeast Asia, he said.

The President, on behalf of the Party and State, presented the title “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” to the academy.

During the resistance war against the US aggressor, 81 of the academy’s staff and 381 of its students had joined the army, with many laying down or becoming invalid for the cause of national reunification and protection.

The academy has mapped out a development strategy until 2030 with a vision towards 2050 to become a multi-sectoral research university led in human resources, scientific and technological solutions, and policy consultancies in agriculture and rural development.-VNA

Deputy PM receives new foreign Ambassadors

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh welcomed new ambassadors from Saudi Arabia and Qatar on April 3 in Hanoi.

Receiving Saudi Arabian Ambassador Dakhin Al Johani and Qatari Ambassador Abdullah Sultan Al-Hamar, the Deputy PM expressed his pleasure at the close cooperation between Vietnam and the two countries.

He discussed with the foreign diplomats ways to boost bilateral ties and coordination at international forums.

The Deputy PM also asked the two countries to recognized Vietnam’s market economy soon.

The ambassadors confirmed that they will do their best to promote the friendship and relationship between their countries and Vietnam.

NA, VFF leaders hail Singapore Parliament Speaker’s visit

The official visit to Vietnam by Speaker of the Singapore Parliament Halimah Yacob will help enhance mutual understanding and trust between the two countries’ senior leaders, and deepen the bilateral Strategic Partnership.

The statement was made by Vietnam’s National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan at their receptions for the Speaker in Hanoi on April 3.

Both of them extended their condolences over the death of the Singaporean founding Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew, affirming that Vietnam always bears in mind the valuable support and the love given by the deceased.

The NA Vice Chairwoman informed the guest of the outcomes of the 21st Meeting of the Women Parliamentarians, a sideline event of the recently-finished 132 nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, which agreed to the appeal for gender equality towards a better world.

Speaking of gender equality achievements Vietnam has gained, the Singaporean Speaker noted that women should be given a stronger role in the making of strategic decisions.

She expressed hope for strengthened bilateral ties for the common benefit of the two peoples and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Meanwhile, VFF President Nhan confirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of treasuring its relations with Singapore and doing its utmost with Singapore to develop the bilateral ties more intensively, practically and effectively.

Singapore is always Vietnam’s reliable partner in economic and investment cooperation, technical assistance, and human resource training, Nhan said.

He continued by suggesting Singapore establish a Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park in the Mekong Delta region – Vietnam’s largest granary and major export centre of agro- aquatic products.

Acknowledging the host’s proposal, the Speaker stated that the two countries should also intensify cooperation in education and training, and maintain the regular exchange of delegations as well as people-to-people exchanges.

She suggested the Vietnam Fatherland Front foster its partnership with the Singapore People’s Association in order to deepen the two peoples’ friendship.

ASEAN Summit 26 schedule released

On April 2, the ASEAN Media Secretariat held a press conference on the organisation of the 26th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.

According to Media Centre Coordinator Aniceta Ferns, the meeting is scheduled to open at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on April 26 and conclude at the Langkawi International Convention Centre on Langkawi Island the next day.

The ASEAN Senior Official Meeting and other conferences will take place on April 24-25.

As the 2015 chair of ASEAN, Malaysia has chosen the theme “Our People, Our Community, Our Vision” to drive the 2015 agenda, reflecting its vision of a “people-centred ASEAN” throughout the chairmanship year. The country is gearing up to organise the ASEAN Summit 26 and ASEAN Summit 27 (November 2015).

Founded in August 1967, ASEAN consists of 10 member countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

NA Standing Committee to convene 37th session on April 6

The 13th National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee will convene its 37th session in Hanoi on April 6, during which a report on outcomes of the freshly concluded 132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) will be revealed.

Besides a report on outcomes of the IPU-132, another report will be delivered by the Supreme People’s Court to reveal the specifics on charges of false accusation in the application of penal and criminal procedure regulations as well as compensation for wrongly accused people.

Committee members are scheduled to give opinions on the draft revised Penal Code, the draft revised Criminal Procedure Code, the draft Law on Information Security, the draft Law on Charges and Fees, and the draft Law amending and supplementing articles of the Vietnam Maritime Code.

They are set to give feedback on draft reports on potential adjustments to the revised Law on the State Budget, the revised Law on the Organisation of the Government, the Law on Local Government Organisation, and the Law on the Election of the National Assembly and People’s Council deputies.

The NA Standing Committee’s 37th session will run through April 10.

The 36th session took place from March 9-17.

NA, VFF leaders meet Singapore parliament leader

National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has highlighted the Vietnam visit by the high-level Singaporean delegation led by Parliament Speaker Halima Yacob as a contribution to enhancing understanding and trust between leaders from the two nations.

At a reception for the Singaporean parliamentary leader in Hanoi on April 3, Ngan extended profound condolences over the passing of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, saying the Vietnamese people remember his sentiment and valuable support to Vietnam during its national construction and development.

Ngan informed her guest about the outcomes of the 21st Meeting of the Women Parliamentarians as part of the 132 nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, which concurred to the appeal for gender equality towards a better world.

For her part, Halima Yacob congratulated Vietnam on its successful organization of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) and applauded the nation’s achievements in ensuring gender equality.

She underlined the need to further enhance women’s role in making strategic decisions.

She said she hoped the bilateral relations would grow and flourish in the time to come for mutual benefit and for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and in the world.

Meeting with the Singaporean leader the same day, Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) President Nguyen Thien Nhan confirmed Vietnam’s unswerving policy of treasuring its ties with Singapore and joining efforts with Singapore to carry the bilateral ties forward.

Singapore is always Vietnam’s reliable partner in economic and investment cooperation, technical assistance, and human resource training, Nhan told his guest.

He suggested Singapore set up a Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park in the Mekong Delta region – Vietnam’s largest granary and major export centre of agro- aquatic products.

The Speaker said the two countries should foster cooperation in education and training, and maintain the regular exchange of delegations as well as people-to-people exchanges.

She asked the VFF to forge its partnership with the Singapore People’s Association in order to deepen the friendship between the two peoples.

Hanoi Declaration is a legacy, says IPU President

The Hanoi Declaration is a major legacy reflecting Vietnam’s outstanding contributions to the international community, remarked President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Saber Chowdhury.

He said Vietnam has been honoured for its call to enforce Hanoi Declaration and a series of resolutions adopted at the five-day 132nd IPU Assembly that wrapped up in Hanoi on April 1, gathering parliamentarians from 133 countries and 12 regional and global inter-parliamentary organisations.

The IPU-132 agenda focused on “Sustainable Development Goals: Turning words into action” with the vision to bring commitments to life in water resources, cyber security and international law – critical issues impacting the world as it enters a new post-2015 growth period.

In their speeches, Vietnamese leaders made it clear that Vietnam continually strives with international community to build a world of peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity.

Parliamentarians reaffirmed the vision of a people-centred sustainable development agenda based on the realisation of universal human rights, eradicating poverty, and eliminating inequalities, thus empowering individuals to exercise their full potential.

Supporting an ambitious set of 17 goals, they committed to doing their utmost to strengthen national ownership of the goals, particularly by raising awareness among their constituents.

As representatives of the people, the legislative bodies took responsibility for ensuring each and every voice is heard in the political process without discrimination and regardless of social status.

Commenting on Vietnam’s contributions to the successful IPU-132, Chowdhury said Vietnam played an important role in the agenda, preparations, session discussions and sideline events.

President of the House of Councillors of Morocco Mohamed Cheik Biadillah praised Vietnam’s message to the IPU gathering, saying the nation has placed human beings at the centre of its growth, a common global trend.

Danish Ambassador John Nielsen, for his part, said the IPU-132 afforded Hanoi an opportunity to showcase its traditional beauty to thousands of parliamentarians from all over the world.

As part of the agenda, a solidarity gala night at the Culture-Tourism Village of Vietnamese ethnic groups in Dong Mo, Son Tay district, Hanoi brought together parliamentarians and representatives from 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups from the mountainous areas in the north, the central – Central Highlands, and the southwest region.

The gala enhanced the global perception of Vietnam as a beautiful and hospitable country.

President stresses agriculture’s strategic role

Developing agriculture is a strategic issue that is extremely significant to the national socio-economic development, State President Truong Tan Sang stated when addressing an event at the Vietnam Agriculture Academy in Hanoi on April 3.

The Vietnam Agriculture Academy, whose trained agronomists and agriculture managers have so far accounted for 65 percent of the country’s total, needs to absorb global cutting-edge scientific and technological advances to help with the restructuring of the agriculture sector, the State President said.

The Academy should look forward to the position as a highly prestigious institute in the fields of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in Southeast Asia, he said.

The President, on behalf of the Party and State, presented the title “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” to the academy.

During the resistance war against the US aggressor, 81 of the academy’s staff and 381 of its students had joined the army, with many laying down or becoming invalid for the cause of national reunification and protection.

The academy has mapped out a development strategy until 2030 with a vision towards 2050 to become a multi-sectoral research university led in human resources, scientific and technological solutions, and policy consultancies in agriculture and rural development.