NA leader seeks stronger ties with German state

The Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA), Tong Thi Phong, has called on the German state of Hessen to send business delegations to explore investment opportunities in Vietnam, especially in forestry, hi-tech agriculture and wine production. 

Photo: VNA
Mrs Phong made the suggestion while receiving Hessen’s Deputy Governor Jorg Uwe Hahn in Hanoi on October 5.

She said the deputy governor’s visit manifests the fine relationship between Vietnam and Germany and Hessen state in particular, expressing her belief that bilateral cooperative ties would develop to a new level. 

The lawmaker noted with pleasure that educational cooperation between the two countries has achieved positive results, citing the Ho Chi Minh City-based Vietnam-Germany University as a form of specific and effective cooperation. She asked Germany, including Hessen state, to help train lawyers for Vietnam. 

Mrs Phong thanked the deputy governor and Hessen’s parliamentarians for their support for Vietnam and urged the German federal parliament to help enhance the capacity of NA deputies and share law-making experience with Vietnam. 

The cooperation and exchanges between the two parliaments will contribute to the development of the relationship between Vietnam and Germany, the legislator said. 

Hahn expressed his admiration for the efforts and achievements Vietnam has recorded during the process of national construction and development, including educational reforms. 

The deputy governor expressed hope that the Vietnam-Germany University would develop strongly, marking a vivid and specific manifestation for bilateral cooperation in education. 

Hahn also pledged to step up cooperative relations between the two nations and parliaments as well as ties between Hessen and Vietnam. 

The same day, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dam Huu Dac and Hessen’s Minister of Economy, Transport and Development Steffen Saebisch signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in vocational training in Hanoi.

Vietnam, South African seek closer cooperation

Vietnam always wants to promote bilateral economic cooperation with South Africa, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Mr. Dung made the statement at a reception for Deputy President of South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe in Hanoi on October 6.

The PM expressed his pleasure at the development of Vietnam-South Africa relations, especially in economics and investment.

He spoke highly of South Africa’s role at multilateral forums and said he hopes the two countries will cooperate better at international forums.

Mr. Motlanthe passed President Jacob Juma’s congratulations to Vietnamese people on Thang Long – Hanoi millennial anniversary.

He said he hopes the Vietnam-South Africa joint intergovernmental meeting in 2011 will help bring the relationship to new heights.

South African Vice President visits Vietnam

South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe arrived in Vietnam on September 6 for an official visit at the invitation of Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan.

Ms Doan welcomed the South African leader to Vietnam during the grand millennial anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and said the visit was a landmark for improving the ties of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and South Africa.

Mr Motlanthe said South Africa’s ties with Vietnam are developing well and his country regards Vietnam as an important partner in Asia. He expressed his wish to expand bilateral relations in many fields.

Meeting the press after the meeting, Vice President Doan said she and her counterpart discussed ways to raise trade turnover between the two countries from US$500 million currently to $1 billion. She said they also agreed to boost cooperation in culture, tourism, security, defence and environmental protection.

Ms Doan added that Vietnam and South Africa will co-host an intergovernmental meeting in 2011 to review the past cooperation and discuss measures to implement the signed agreements.

At the meeting, both countries signed a tourism cooperation agreement and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in water resources.

VND1.2 tril for scientific application in rural areas

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved a programme that supports sci-tech transfer and application for socio-economic development in rural and mountainous areas.

The VND1.2 trillion programme will focus on high-tech agriculture production, improvement of agricultural products and imports, and development of animal and plant husbandry in parallel with processing.

The programme is expected to run between 2011 and 2015.

Hanoi to host ACWO General Assembly

The 14th ASEAN Confederation of Women’s Organisations (ACWO) General Assembly will take place in Hanoi on October 19-20, said the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU). 

More than 200 delegates from 10 ASEAN member countries and three dialogue partners - China, Japan and the Republic of Korea - and representatives from foreign embassies and international oganisations in Hanoi will attend the two-day conference. 

The 14th ACWO General Assembly, themed “Enhancing women’s effective participation toward a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable ASEAN” will include plenary sessions on enhancing women’s economic power, women’s role in coping with climate change and the government’s role in promoting women’s advancement and gender equality. 

Symposiums on hunger eradication and poverty reduction, food security and safety, migrant labour, and the prevention and control of violence to women and children will be held on the sidelines of the conference. 

The conference is a forum for women in the region to share information and experiences on issues of concern to ASEAN women and a chance for Vietnamese women to introduce their achievements and discuss the country’s advancement of women and gender equality. 

The 14th ACWO General Assembly is expected to adopt a resolution about the general assembly’s viewpoint on commitment and actions to enhance women’s involvement and contributions to each country’s development and promote the government’s pledge to advancement of women and gender equality. 

At the conference, the VWU, as ACWO President for 2008-2010 period, will transfer the presidency of the ACWO to the National Council of Women’s Organisation of Indonesia for 2010-2012 term. 

VNN/VOV/VNS