The work is very significant since the IPU-132 will be the largest international event that Vietnam has ever hosted, said the Deputy PM, who is Deputy Head of the State Steering Committee on IPU-132 organisation, when examining event preparations on February 28.

He stressed that the successful organisation of this event will heighten the National Assembly’s role and prestige in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, bolster the country’s friendship and cooperation with others and major international organisations, and improve its position in the world arena.

The Government official also requested ministries, sectors and localities to intensify inspections on diseases and food hygiene in Hanoi and localities involved in the event.

The IPU-132 will take place in Hanoi from March 28 to April 1. The Vietnamese NA officially became a member of the IPU in April 1979, and has since positively and responsibly operated in the forum. The NA has assumed the presidency of the Asia Pacific Geopolitical and ASEAN+3 Groups of the IPU in 2006 and 2010, respectively.

At the 117th IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland in 2007, Vietnam’s NA was elected to the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). During the IPU-121 in 2009, Vietnam was elected to serve as Vice President of the IPU.

Established in 1889 in Paris, France, the IPU is the oldest multi-national political organisation in the world. Based in Geneva, the organisation currently has 162 member nations.

Italian Government treasures strategic partnership with Vietnam

Vietnam and Italy have agreed to quickly deploy their Action Plan for 2015-2016 for accelerated cooperation, focusing on the spheres of politics and diplomacy, global and regional issues, economics, development, culture and education and security-defence.

Participants at the conference (Photo: VNA)

The agreement came after a conference held in Rome, Italy, on February 26 reviewing the implementation of the Vietnam-Italy Action Plan in 2013-2014 and outlining the 2015-2016 one.

Conference participant, Efisio Luigi Marras, General Director for Italian Globalisation and Global Affairs under the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Italian Government always gives priority to fostering its cooperation with Vietnam.

He stressed that the two nations have effectively coordinated to nurture their strategy partnership.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Italian Ministry and the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy highlighted the significance of reaped outcomes in the 2013-2014 period, saying that these contributed to promoting the bilateral relations in all fields, especially in economics, trade, investment, education, people-to-people exchange, security-defence, and military technology.

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long thanked the Italian ministries and sectors for their active cooperation in recent time, saying it helped spread Vietnam’s image widely in Italy and in Europe in general.

The Vietnam-Italy relations have incessantly been strengthened through the exchange of high-level visits, especially Prime Minister Matteo Renzi making the first Italian PM’s official visit to Vietnam during the two countries’ 40-year diplomatic ties.

The launch of the Italian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City in November 2014 manifested the Italian Government’s policy of treasuring all-around cooperation with Vietnam.

The two nations have established deputy foreign minister and deputy defence minister-level political dialogue mechanisms, while forming the Joint-Committee on Economic Cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, and arranging a series of visits and working sessions at all levels.

A large number of cooperative projects in science research, training and education were signed, and cultural exchange activities were organised during the period.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Italy grew steadily at 25-30 percent annually, hitting 3.6 billion USD in 2014. The figure is hoped to reach 5 billion USD in 2016. Italy is now an important market for Vietnam’s exports.

The same day, Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long had a meeting with Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Benedetto Della Vedova.

Get well wish to Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on February 27 sent his best wishes to former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who is in intensive care at hospital.

The former Singaporean leader, 91, was hospitalised for severe pneumonia.

Deputy FM leads delegation to UN human rights meeting

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong will lead a delegation to attend the four-day (March 2-5) senior level segment of the 28th session of the Human Rights Council.

The month-long (March 2-27) session is being held in Geneva, Switzerland.

On the agenda are human rights, access to information, freedom of expression, privacy, legal instruments, privacy and data retention

This is the second year that Viet Nam is a member of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

Cuong will deliver a speech, hold bilateral meetings and talk with the special UN special rapporteurs on cultural issues and freedom of religion who visited Viet Nam earlier.

VN, UK to strengthen strategic ties

Viet Nam and the United Kingdom focused on issues surrounding international economic integration, national defence-security and recent global developments during their fourth strategic dialogue in Ha Noi on Friday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and British Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hugo Swire, headed the delegations.

On the path to global economic integration, both sides renewed their commitment to conclude negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) between Viet Nam and the EU.

They also deemed the eighth meeting of the Joint Economic Trade Committee a constructive discussion platform for ideas to boost Viet Nam-UK trade and investment activities. The meeting will be held in London in early March.

Recognising Viet Nam's progress in fulfilling the UN Millennial Development Goals, the UK said it would taper off its supply of aid to Viet Nam by March 2016, but continue providing aid packages through the EU and multilateral mechanisms such as the World Bank and the UN.

The Vietnamese side thanked the UK for its support in reducing poverty and facilitating sustainable development in the country.

Both host and guest hailed the establishment of the Viet Nam-UK Research Institute to promote post-tertiary research to international standards, and agreed to further improve English training in Viet Nam and launch a transparent and fair legal framework for UK education providers.

The two sides welcomed the operation of the Newton Fund in Viet Nam, a partnership programme on research and innovation.

They also said they wished to sign a memorandum of understanding this March on creating a framework for cooperation in this field.

Agreeing on joint efforts to respond to climate change and prepare for the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-21) in Paris, the two nations underscored the need to reach an ambitious agreement at the end of the conference in line with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Viet Nam hailed Britain's role as the leading donor to Viet Nam's anti-corruption fight and said it hoped the relationship would continue.

The UK praised Viet Nam for sending two officers to UN peacekeeping missions and for its commitment to add anti-sexual violence content to the training curricula at the country's peacekeeping centre.

It also hailed Viet Nam for joining global efforts against illegal wildlife trading, organised crime.and cyber crime, modern slavery, money laundering, child exploitation and illegal immigration.

Delegates also signed a memorandum of understanding on allowing relatives of diplomatic representative staff to seek paid jobs in the host country.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also met Swire.

Both host and guest said they were pleased with the progress of the bilateral strategic partnership in priority fields, and agreed to facilitate regular high-level visits.

They also agreed to work closely at multilateral forums and international organisations, including the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting, and the ASEAN-EU framework.

The pending Viet Nam-EU free trade agreement is expected to open up new opportunities for business circles in both countries.

State President meets with outstanding health workers

President Truong Tan Sang hosted a reception for outstanding health officials on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Vietnam Doctors’ Day in Hanoi on February 27.

The State leader congratulated the officials and extolled the significant achievements of the heath sector over the past six decades, including fulfilling many of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

The remarkable achievement is attributed to the tireless efforts of health workers, including those who sacrificed their lives for the national safeguarding cause and those who have devoted their career to working in remote areas, he said.

Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien reported that in the Doi Moi (reform) process, the health industry has successfully applied modern technology and improved the health index of Vietnam, bringing it to stand above that of countries with similar incomes and development stages.

The current average life expectancy in Vietnam is double that of 1945, and dangerous diseases have largely been under control. The sector has also worked to meet over 50 percent of the medicinal demand and is taking the initial steps towards producing medicine for export.

The technical skills of Vietnamese doctors are on par with those in the region and around the world, especially in kidney transplants, liver transplants, heart transplants, stem cell transplants, and heart surgeries, the minister added.

President Truong Tan Sang asked the ministry to expand effective health care models and honour outstanding figures in the field.

He expressed his belief that with comprehensive social engagement and developed medical skills, the health industry will continue to reap impressive results in the future.

VNA/VNS/VOV