Stronger measures needed for e-government building

It is crucial to speed up measures to build a smooth e-government system from central to local levels, stated Deputy Chairman of the Government Office Le Manh Ha at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on July 22.

Ha noted that although localities have made efforts to apply information technology in State governance, progress has been carried out in an incoherent and unconnected manner.

The Government is determined to roll out measures for the successful building of the e-government in which information technology plays a prominent role in serving people and enterprises, thus enhancing the efficiency of State management, he stressed.

He asserted that openness and transparency is central to efficient State management, pointing to the need for stronger applications of IT in governance.

Currently, one of the areas requiring urgent IT application is healthcare, he held, calling on hospitals to use IT, especially in health insurance services.

During the conference, leaders of ministries and State agencies and IT experts offered ideas on the building of a smart city model with e-government holding a core role, the implementation of electronic healthcare services and setting up smart transport system.

Within the event framework, an exhibition was also held to introduce advanced IT solutions to improve communication infrastructure and databases.

Fatherland Front leader reviews social work in Nghe An

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Nguyen Thien Nhan on July 22 held a working session with the VFF organisation in the central province of Nghe An on its performance in the first six months and tasks in the remaining time of the year.

Nguyen Van Huy, chairman of the Nghe An provincial Fatherland Front organisation, reported that social campaigns and patriotic emulation drives launched by the VFF and member organisations in the province have received extensive response from the public. The local VFF chapter has joined in the settlement of 195 out of 232 cases of complaints and petitions.

Huy said in the second half of the year, the provincial Fatherland Front organisation will focus on promoting the party congresses of all levels, organise activities to mark the 85th founding anniversary of the Vietnam National United Front, the predecessor of the VFF.

The organisation will also take part in building and cementing the role and position of the party and grassroots governments.

Addressing the meeting, Nhan recommended the NAFF to review the 20 years of the campaign ‘All people unite to build the cultural life in residential areas’ and the 15-year-old ‘Day for the poor’ movement with a view to creating a momentum for the new drive ‘All people unite to build new-style rural areas and civilised urban areas’.

On the occasion, Nhan visited and presented gifts to three households in Nghi Phu commune, Vinh city.

Earlier the same day, the VFF leader and officials of the central province of Ha Tinh lit incense at the Dong Loc Cross-road historic site in Dong Loc commune, Can Loc district, in memory of 10 young volunteer women who died while repairing the road under US bombing. The Dong Loc Cross-road was on the main route which was used for supplying Dong Loc weapons and goods to the south.

Vice President gifts Ha Nam war heroes

Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan visited and presented gifts to war heroes in the northern province of Ha Nam on July 22, ahead of the 68th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day (July 27).

Ten Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and 70 local war heroes received gifts worth a combined 200 million VND (9,500 USD).

The same day, the Vice State President offered incense to 10 war heroines at a temple in Phu Ly city.

During the resistance wars against French and Americans, Ha Nam recorded over 17,000 martyrs, 15,000 invalids, more than 29,000 individuals and their offspring exposed to Agent Orange sprayed by US troops.

As of this June, the province presented bank deposits topping 4.5 billion VND (214,000 USD), built 400 houses and raised more than 15 billion USD (714,000 USD) to support revolutionary devotees.

All Vietnamese heroic mothers are cared for and all communes and townships are providing support for invalids and war heroes.-

NA seeks to improve question-answer sessions

A workshop held in the central city of Da Nang on July 22 sought ideas to improve the quality of National Assembly (NA) question-and-answer sessions, attracting over 60 delegates from NA Councils and Committees and lawmakers nationwide.

The move comes as the country is putting its new Constitution into practice, the amended Law on NA Organisation is set to take effect and the Law on Supervision of the NA and the People’s Councils is set to be approved, said NA Vice Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son while speaking at the event.

Reviewing the past performance of NA question-and-answer sessions, Son acknowledged that the majority of them were highly constructive, democratic, concise and to the point.

Participants called for increased coordination among NA Committees as well as streamlined procedures guiding and improving supervisory activities.

The workshop, co-hosted by the NA Office and the US Agency for International Development’s Governance for Inclusive Growth programme, will run until July 23.

Deputy PM Hai suggests development path for Ha Giang province

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has suggested that Ha Giang introduce incentive measures to attract more investment so that the northern mountainous province would be able to soon raise income levels about the poverty line.

He said Ha Giang should continue to improve its investment environment, enhance competitiveness and create the most favourable conditions for investors.

The Deputy Prime Minister urged the province to tap into its potential to promote tourism development, cross-border trade and other industries such as building materials manufacturing, agricultural processing and timber products.

He added that Ha Giang should pay attention to human resources development and make persistent efforts in an appropriate roadmap to achieve the goal of building new rural areas.

According to Ha Giang Chairman Dao Van Bong, the provincial economy grew by 6.32% in 2014 with the annual GDP per capita reaching VND16.2 million (US$745), far below the national average.

The farming sector still accounted for the largest part of Ha Giang’s economic output at 37.43%, followed by services and industries, which made up 36.4% and 26.17% respectively.

Deputy Defence Minister receives French guest

Deputy Minister of Defence Senior Lieutenant General Truong Quang Khanh received the Deputy Director of the Directorate for International Development under the French Ministry of Defence’s Directorate-General of Armament, Lieutenant General Jacques Cousquer, in Hanoi on July 22.

Deputy Minister Khanh said cooperation between the two countries on defence industry in recent years has produced positive results and hoped that the two sides would continue to increase high-ranking delegation exchanges and share experiences in carrying out United Nations peacekeeping missions.

Lieutenant General Cousquer wished for increased defence cooperation between the two countries, especially in defence industry, and the acceleration of cooperation in information and telecommunications.

Vietnamese leader’s presents given to Lao provinces

Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang’s financial gifts were handed over to authorities in the Lao provinces of Luang Prabang and Houaphanh to build cultural and educational facilities on July 22.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Manh Hung presented the package, which includes 40 billion VND (1.84 million USD) for building a cultural centre in Luang Prabang and 15 billion VND (690,000 USD) for constructing a nursery school in Houaphanh.

He said the presents, donated by five enterprises and two banks, illustrate the Vietnamese Party, State and people’s warm sentiment towards the two provinces in particular and Laos in general.

Luang Prabang Governor Khampheng Saysompheng thanked the Vietnamese State leader for the assistance which he said is meaningful to the friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

Meanwhile, Houaphanh Deputy Governor Chanseng Phimason said the nursery will help educate the younger Lao generation about the special amity, solidarity and cooperation between the two countries.

The officials also took the opportunity to acknowledge Vietnam’s assistance over the past years and pledged to optimise the gifts.

Promoting border livelihoods is pivotal mission: official

Improving the material and spiritual life of border residents is a critical mission of local Party Committees and authorities in the northwest, Central Highlands and southwest regions, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on July 22.

At a meeting in Can Tho city, Deputy Prime Minister Phuc, who is also Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Northwest Region, noted the poverty and limited education level of border residents along with underdeveloped infrastructure in the areas.

He highlighted programmes initiated by ministries and localities to boost local socio-economic development while requesting additional attention on overhauling existing programmes and policies.

The official also asked for the utmost efforts of competent agencies to prevent smuggling and drug trafficking, promote personnel capacity and enhance relations with nearby localities.

Deputy PM Vu Van Ninh, Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Southwest Region, asked local authorities and steering committees to actively propose measures to improve local livelihoods, especially in border areas, and foster economic development.

He also underlined the need to effectively implement policies relating to border and ethnic minority issues, deal with spontaneous migration, expand foreign relations and defence-security cooperation and carry out border demarcation and marker planting as well as possible.

The Steering Committee for the Northwest Region is responsible for 12 provinces and some western districts of central Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces.

The Steering Committee for the Central Highlands is in charge of five provinces while the body for the southwest region covers 12 provinces and Can Tho city.

Vietnam eyes more effective ASEAN cooperation

Vietnam is actively preparing for the inception of the ASEAN Community slated for the year’s end and maximising its opportunities for more effective cooperation.

ASEAN member states have so far achieved about 93 percent of the targets set out in a roadmap to build the community from 2009 to 2015, as reported at a meeting in Hanoi on July 21.

The function was held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the engagement of representatives from over 20 ministries and sectors involved in ASEAN cooperation.

Participants said Vietnam and other ASEAN member nations are working to realise remaining tasks to ensure the establishment of the ASEAN Community on schedule.

Vietnam has earnestly implemented ASEAN commitments and made active contributions to the bloc’s cooperation across fields.

The country has proactively promoted the solidarity and central role of ASEAN in resolving major challenges in the region and enhanced ASEAN relations with foreign partners.

Local ministries and sectors have launched a number of programmes such as film festivals on ASEAN, the 20 th anniversary of Vietnam’s participation in ASEAN and the ASEAN Week.

Participants agreed on key future tasks such as implementing programmes and plans to build the ASEAN Community, intensifying coordination and information exchanges, disseminating the benefits of the ASEAN Community and improving Vietnam’s cooperation efficiency in the bloc.

VNA