Workshop promotes sustainable energy development

Solar panels installed on the Da Mi hydropower reservoir in Binh Thuan province

A workshop discussing measures to promote sustainable energy development in connection with environmental protection was held in Hanoi on November 29. 

The event was jointly organised by the Vietnam Energy Association (VEA), the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission, the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin), and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam). 

In his opening speech, Chairman of the VEA Tran Viet Ngai underlined the need for the energy sector to make more efforts in creating momentum for sustainable socio-economic development. 

The workshop focused on strategic targets, visions, and solutions to not only ensure a sustainable source of energy, but also create an energy reserve; as well as better address issues related to the environment by 2030, with a vision to 2050, he said. 

Meanwhile, representatives from Vinacomin forecast the coal demand for 2030 and 2035. Accordingly, Vietnam is predicted to have to import 67 million tonnes of coal in 2025, 98 million tonnes by 2030, and 106 million tonnes by 2035. 

Vinacomin has built a strategy for coal import in the time to come, especially for the electricity sector, which is forecast to range between 88-100 million tonnes from 2025-2030. 

Regarding a new vision for national energy development towards 2050, Vice Chairman of VEA Nguyen Van Vy said it is necessary for Vietnam to build orientations and policies to ensure national energy security, focusing on enhancing exploration to increase reserves of coal, oil, and gas.

VEA  must also promote the use of renewable energy, said Vy, stressing the importance of boosting international cooperation, as well as the exchange and export of energy with regional countries. 

He suggested that Vietnam develop its energy sector towards being more comprehensive and competitive, and ensuring financial sources are secured for the field. 

Participants also tabled recommendations and solutions related to business administration, finance, investments, and marketing to create breakthroughs in developing the national energy sector. 

Investors should be encouraged to develop more renewable energy projects, they concluded.

Vietnam, RoK cooperate in traditional medicine research

The Institute of Oriental Medicine of the Republic of Korea (RoK) said on November 29 that it has opened a traditional medicine research centre in Hanoi, focusing on studying clinical signs and oriental medicine resources.

Located at the National Hospital of Traditional Medicine, the Korea-Vietnam Traditional Medicine Research Centre will apply technologies of defining genes of oriental medicine resources owned by the Korean institute to build a traditional medicine management system in Vietnam.

It will conduct clinical research and compare disease prevention and treatment methods using traditional medicine the two nations to apply the best ones in treating chronic diseases and those of the elderly.

Over the past time, the Korean institute has cooperated with the Vietnamese hospital in carrying out joint studies in the physical field.

Kim Jong-yeol, head of the institute, the two sides will collaborate in doing basic research and applying the institute’s clinical experience in treatment, thus contributing to developing the traditional medicine in both countries.

Job recruitment increases at end of year

The labour market in Hanoi has become bustling with higher demand for unskilled workers as businesses have sought more workers to fulfill their increasing orders in the remaining months of the year.  

Hanoi Employment Service Centre said the demand for unskilled workers has increased significantly, especially in the last three months of the year.

Experts said high demand has helped job seekers have more choices in finding a suitable job.

Surveys show that job application for each job vacancy has decreased about 15 percent compared to the same period last year while many areas such as services, hotel, and restaurant among others have seen a sharp increase in the last three months of this year.

HCM City improves grassroots-level healthcare system

The health station in Ward 13  has got modern equipment. 

Ho Chi Minh City has begun allocating funds to 24 health stations for upgrading their infrastructure, as part of efforts to strengthen primary health care in the model of family medicine.

The health station in Ward 13 became the first to join the programme.

According to Vice Director of the municipal Department of Health Tang Chi Thuong, besides receiving more than 1.7 billion VND (73,000 USD) from the city’s budget to upgrade its facilities, the station has got modern equipment like a basic biochemical testing system, ultrasound machines, and essential stock of medicines for initial medical checkups in line with the Ministry of Health (MoH)’s standards.

Two doctors from the Binh Thanh district hospital were sent to the Ward 13 health station to provide examinations to local residents. Meanwhile, 30 doctors with considerable expertise in gastrointestinal tract, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics at district- and city-level hospitals will provide the station with consultation and examination support via online medical diagnosis software.

Particularly, medical checkup fees will be covered by health insurance and medical records of patients kept in an electronic database at the station. “These positive changes will contribute to enhancing trust among local residents and improving images of the grassroots-level healthcare system”, Thuong said.

Earlier, within the project approved by the Prime Minister to develop grassroots-level medical stations, the MoH selected 26 health stations in eight cities and provinces to implement its pilot programme, aiming to improve primary health care in line with the principles of family medicine. The stations will work to improve public health, manage personal health records of local residents, cure non-communicable diseases, and ensure effective vaccination campaign, among others.

Vietnam seeks ways to reduce noise at airports

Participants in the workshop on November 29 pose for a photo 

Solutions to lessen worsening noise levels at airports were discussed at a workshop held by the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Hanoi on November 29.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Umeda Kunio said the Southeast Asian nation is recording impressive economic growth and attracting great foreign investment, especially in transport infrastructure. 

Such development has led to air and noise pollution, particularly at airports, and Japan, a country experienced in dealing with noise pollution, will be a companion to Vietnam in solving this problem, he pledged.

According to the MoT’s Institute of Transport Science and Technology, noise levels in the vicinity of Vietnamese airports are about 48 – 71dB.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends humans should not be exposed to more than 45dB and 40dB of day-time and night-time aircraft noise, respectively. Or else, it could affect their physical and mental health.

At present, national noise standards have just regulated permitted noise levels in general, which are insufficient and inaccurate for airports, according to the workshop.

Participants said Vietnam can consult measures Japan has taken to deal with noise, including reducing noise at source (improving aircraft’s quality and flight operation measures, reducing taking-off and landing activities at night), upgrading airports’ structure (relocating runways, building runways at sea), and implementing environmental measures around airports (completing public facilities, building sound-proofing houses, creating “green” buffer zones).

The country also needs to build models to assess the exposure to aircraft noise and specify affected areas.

Additionally, the Civil Aviation Authority should align local noise standards with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the WHO, the seminar heard.

Fire safety concern raised at illegal parking lots

Parking lot in Cau Giay District

A huge number of plots of land in Hanoi have been rented out for illegal parking lots and garages which neglect regulations about fire safety.

On November 26, a fire broke out at a garage on the opposite Nam Trung Yen Secondary School, Cau Giay District, and destroyed five cars. Fires already broke out in this area in 2014 and 2017 but garages and parking lots still show little care about fire safety.

Cau Giay District has the largest number of garages and parking lots. Most of the project lands which haven't been used yet are rented out as football fields, garages or parking lots. There are over 30 garages and parking lots in Trung Hoa and Yen Hoa wards alone.

Thousands of square metres under the railway bridge in Xuan Dinh Ward are also rented out to be parking lots. On the opposite of the headquarters of Nam Tu Liem People's Committee, there are many restaurants and a parking lot for passenger buses. Those services are not registered. The parking lots and garages are haphazardly put up and none of them meet fire safety requirements.

A parking lot in Vinh Tuy Ward which was set up on a stagnant project land has business license expired since September but refused to move out.

The office building complexes project on Pham Hung Street was approved by Hanoi People's Committee in 2011. It covers 28 hectares on both Me Tri and Yen Hoa wards and is divided into seven plots of land. However, only the constructions of Keangnam Tower and the headquarter of General Department of Vietnam Customs are still being carried out, the rest of the land has been rented out to be garages and parking lots.

Me Tri Ward People's Committee said that Hanoi People's Committee allowed Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation (Handico) to lease the land and put up some temporary constructions to prevent encroachment. However, Me Tri Ward People's Committee said they didn't know about the illegal constructions. A recent fire also broke out at one of those lots.

Do Ngoc Anh, chairman of Yen Hoa Ward, admitted that salons, garages and parking lots had been put up. They have asked Handico to cancel the contracts, ordered the users to move out and announced that they would cut off water and electricity.

"We do not earn anything from letting them use the lands. We are actually cleaning up the mess," he said.

Catastrophic petrol tanker fire to be prosecuted

Thạch Vân Phong - the driver of the overturned oil tanker - is being treated at Chợ Rẫy Hospital. 

The Police Investigation Agency announced on Thursday it had launched criminal proceedings in the case of an oil truck fire that killed six people last week in Bình Phước Province.

According to Colonel Trần Thắng Phúc, director of the provincial Police Department, the police have not issued a decision to prosecute the accused with the petrol tanker driver because he was under treatment at Chợ Rẫy Hospital with severe burns and could not give testimony.

As previously reported, at 4am on November 22, Thạch Vân Phong, was driving at high speed from HCM City to Bình Long Town, Bình Phước Province when the truck crashed into a delivery tricycle carrying ice near Minh Hưng market.

The truck lost control and hit a power pole on the opposite side of the road before it overturned. Tens of thousands of litres of oil were spilled onto nearby houses and burst into flames. 

The fire killed six people and injured two, nearly destroying all 19 houses in front of Highway 13.

Four victims were between 15 and 36, and two were six-year-old children.

New water supply plant to open in Quang Nam

Phú Ninh water plant supplies clean water to Chu Lai Open Economic Zone and eastern areas of Quảng Nam Province. — Photo Courtersy of the BOO Phú Ninh Water Treatment Plant Joint Stock Company

Residents in the central province of Quảng Nam will have access to more clean water when a new water plant is put into operation on Saturday.

The Phú Ninh water plant, located in Tam Xuân 2 Commune in Núi Thành District, will supply water to the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone, districts of Duy Xuyên, Thăng Bình and Núi Thành, and Tam Kỳ City.

Invested by Phú Ninh Water Treatment Plant Joint Stock Company under the Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model, it has total investment of more than VNĐ1.2 trillion (US$51.1 million).

With a capacity of 50,000cu.m per day, the plant is expected to provide water for living, administrative, service, commercial and industrial production purposes at the Chu Lai economic zone, urban and rural areas, and industrial zones in nearby regions.

Its capacity will reach 75,000cu.m per day by 2019, and full capacity of 300,000cu.m per day after 2025.

In May this year, Metro Pacific Water Company from the Philippines acquired 45 per cent of the BOO Phú Ninh Water Treatment Plant Joint Stock Company.

Metro Pacific Water under Metro Pacific Investments Corporation is among the largest water companies in the Philippines, supplying more than 60 per cent of clean water in the Southeast Asian country.

The plant’s investor plans to expand the pipeline network to Hội An City

More pipelines will also be built in the northern and southern regions of Quảng Nam Province by next year.

Former chief of Vietnam Rubber Finance gets 16 years in jail

Phan Minh Anh Ngoc, former general director of Vietnam Rubber Finance Co Ltd, is accompanied by a policeman to the court 

A former general director of Vietnam Rubber Finance Co., Ltd under the State-run Vietnam Rubber Group was given 16 years in prison for economic mismanagement, reported Tuoi Tre Online newspaper.

The HCMC People’s Court made its ruling on the case involving economic losses at Vietnam Rubber Finance today, November 26.

The company’s ex-general director, Phan Minh Anh Ngoc, 67, and its former chief accountant, Dang Thi Kim Anh, 62, were charged with two counts of intentionally violating State regulations on economic management, leading to serious consequences, and violating regulations on lending activities at credit institutions.

Vietnam Rubber Finance has the functions of borrowing and lending as a credit institution, according to the court.

Between 2009 and 2011, then-general director Ngoc approved the purchase of four million stocks of Hung Thinh Steel JSC and 623,000 shares of Chuong Duong Company. He also signed three agreements to purchase and sell forward securities for two companies – Kien Quan and To Dinh Chien. These actions caused financial losses of VND83.7 billion.

Moreover, he signed credit agreements and approved loan disbursements for Hung Thinh Steel Co., Ltd, without considering its financial capacity or checking the contents of these agreements. This action caused losses of VND59 billion.

He was aware that Vietnam Rubber Finance did not have the right to purchase or sell valuable papers. However, he instructed his staff to prepare the related paperwork and approved the purchase of the shares and stocks, leading to serious losses for the company, the panel of judges stated.

The court handed down a 16-year sentence to the ex-leader, while his former chief accountant Anh was sentenced to 12 years behind bars.

In this case, five other defendants, who were former staff at Vietnam Rubber Finance, were either placed on two years’ probation or sentenced to three to eight years in prison.

The panel found that their deliberate actions caused heavy losses for the company, but these actions were not for their own benefit, so they were ordered to pay compensation of more than VND140 billion (US$6 million) in total.

In a previous case involving Vietnam Rubber Finance, Ngoc received a six-year sentence for negligence resulting in serious consequences, while Anh was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for violating regulations on lending activities at credit institutions.

Pilot motorcycle ambulance service proposed to cope with traffic congestion

A heathcare staff is taking a bag of medical aids out of a motorbike ambulance

General hospitals in HCMC’s districts 1, 2, 4 and Thu Duc on November 27 proposed operating  motorcycle ambulances on a pilot basis, 20 days after testing the service at Saigon General Hospital, Thanh Nien newspaper reported.

The review meeting was co-organized by the municipal Department of Health, the 115 Medical Emergency Center and Saigon General Hospital.

The four hospitals made the proposal following the initial success experienced by Saigon General Hospital, the first unit to pilot the service in the city.

According to representatives of the four hospitals, each hospital typically owns two to three ambulances. Meanwhile, most districts in the city have numerous narrow alleyways and often face heavy traffic during rush hour. Motorbike ambulances would respond to medical emergencies much faster than standard ambulances.

The hospitals pledged to increase their personnel for outpatient emergency services if the proposal is approved, adding that some of them had already purchased motorcycles and were waiting for the municipal health department to appraise them.

Dr Nguyen Khac Vui, deputy director of Saigon General Hospital, said that of the 76 emergency cases the hospital had served, 26 trips for outpatient care were made using motorbike ambulances.

It took each motorbike ambulance up to 15 minutes to arrive at patients’ houses or only five minutes for areas near the hospital. Further, all 26 trips were completed without incident, said Vui.

Wrapping up the meeting, Tang Chi Thuong, deputy director of the health department, said that motorbike ambulances have helped doctors provide first aid to a rising number of outpatients. Therefore, the department had approved the pilot operations of the service.

The four hospitals need to make comprehensive preparations and must be appraised by the department before launching the service, Thuong added.

At Saigon General Hospital, the launch of motorbike ambulances, starting from November 7, has raised the number of emergency outpatient cases by 30% versus two months ago. The hospital’s head suggested buying additional medical equipment for the motorbike ambulances, such as an electrocardiography machine, a breathing machine (mechanical ventilator) and medicines.

Conference reviews implementation of anti-domestic violence law in 10 years

Scene at the conference 

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reviewed the 10-year enforcement of the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control at a conference in Hanoi on November 28.

Head of the Ministry’s Family Department Tran Tuyet Anh said the law, which took effect in July 2008, has received attention and support from the community, socio-politic organisations and domestic and international non-governmental organisations. The work has been monitored by the National Assembly Committee for Social Affairs, with the media involved in raising public awareness.

Up to 292,268 cases of domestic abuse were reported during the 2009 – 2017 period. Between July 1, 2008 and July 31, 2018, people’s courts at all levels granted divorces in nearly 1.4 million cases, of which more than 1.06 million had domestic violence among their causes.

Vietnam has about 27 million households. As abuse often occurs behind closed doors of the families, it is important to develop a network of community-based groups, who collect information and spread knowledge on the issue. The report said only four out of 63 provinces and cities have operated such groups so far.

Apart from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Farmers’ Union, no public agencies and organisations have to date allocated funds for the prevention of domestic violence. Local-level authorities also have limited funding for the work. As a result, many anti-family abuse legal documents and programmes have yet to produce effective outcomes.

A representative from the Ministry of Justice said domestic abuse cases are on the rise in number and severity, with victims mostly women and children. 

He said flaws in legal regulations are among causes of the situation and recommended assessing regulations on administrative violations for more suitable fines.

Cao Bang province works to develop three economic pillars

The northern mountainous province of Cao Bang is taking an array of measures to turn tourism, border gate economic activities and hi-tech agriculture into the pillars of its economy.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Hoang Xuan Anh said Cao Bang is inviting investment in eco-tourism projects, hi-tech agriculture, agro-forestry-fishery processing, infrastructure and traffic connectivity.

To create favourable conditions for businesses, it will further improve the local investment climate. Each official and civil servant of the province is committed to providing the best services to people and enterprises, the official affirmed.

Anh said this direction has proved effective when the revenue from tourism and activities via border gates has increased continually over the past years. Local agricultural products have begun to gain a foothold in the market.

Meanwhile, more and more domestic and foreign investors have realised the province’s potential, he noted, adding that at the recent investment promotion conference, Cao Bang presented investment certificates to 14 projects worth over 3.5 trillion VND (149.5 million USD). It also inked memoranda of understanding on cooperation with 17 investors who plan to invest 36.17 trillion VND (1.5 billion USD) here.

This source of investment capital will surely become a strong driving force for local economy, he said.

Regarding tourism potential, Cao Bang boasts imposing mountains and beautiful natural landscapes such as Ban Gioc Waterfall, Nguom Ngao Cave, Pac Bo Cave, Lenin Spring, and Thang Hen Lake. Notably, its Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark was recently recognised as a global geopark by UNESCO.

The province is also home to eight ethnic groups with diverse culture, which is also a good condition for tourism development.

Meanwhile, Cao Bang borders the Chinese province of Guangxi – a relatively developed region with a population of nearly 50 million. If cross-border trade and connectivity are further facilitated, it will be a point of transit for goods of not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asian to enter China.

Local land, water and weather conditions are ideal for agriculture, Anh said, noting some famous farm produce such as Trung Khanh chestnut, Xuan Truong glutinous rice, Thach An wax gourd, beef of H’Mong ethnic people, and Bao Lac black-bone chicken.

The TH Group is planning a clean dairy farming project in Cao Bang. Once this project is carried out, it will be momentum for local people to change their mindset for agricultural development, he said.

Vietnamese-German University, lighthouse in bilateral ties

An outdoor sport activity organised by VGU (Source: vgu.edu.vn)

The Vietnamese-German University (VGU) is a key part of the educational cooperation between Vietnam and Germany, particularly Hessen state, heard a recent seminar in Wiesbaden city, Hessen.

The November 27 event was held by the VGU and the World University Service (WUS), with the participation of Vietnamese intellectuals and students in Germany.

Speaking at the seminar, Karin Müller, who is in charge of international cooperation at the Hessen Ministry of Science and Arts, said the ministry will always support the VGU.

VGU Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Ha Thuc Vien said the VGU was formed on the basis of the administrative model and academic principles of Germany’s tertiary education system, towards excellence in training and research. 

Apart from providing quality human resources for Vietnam, the VGU also aims to promote scientific research and technological transfer, he added, calling on young Vietnamese students in Germany to work for the university after returning home.

WUS President Kambiz Ghawami said the VGU is a unique project which reflects the long-term vision of the Vietnamese and German Governments to build smart cities and apply achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The VGU is likely to make great contributions to Vietnam’s development, especially its sustainable development, he noted.

He said Hessen authorities have considered Vietnam a top priority partner in cooperation, particularly in education, and through the WUS, Hessen has granted more than 4,000 scholarships to Vietnamese students.

The VGU was the first public university in Vietnam formed under an agreement between the two governments.

Since its inception in Binh Duong province, southern Vietnam, in 2008, the VGU has been regarded as a key project between the two governments, and the most successful tertiary educational cooperation projects of the German government and the Hessen authorities.

The university aims to become a leading research university in Southeast Asia and the first choice for students, lecturers and scientists in engineering, information technology, business and economics in Vietnam.

Efforts to search for, repatriate martyrs’ remains stepped up

The Military Zone 7 High Command presents merit certificates to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in the search for and repatriation of martyrs’ remains

The Steering Committee on Search and Repatriation of Remains of Fallen Soldiers (Steering Committee 515) of Military Zone 7 reburied 580 remains of martyrs during the 2016-2018 period, heard a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on November 29. 

Major General Tran Huu Tai, Vice Chairman of the Political Department of Military Zone 7 and standing member of the Steering Committee 515, reported that in the 2016-2018 dry seasons, the zone’s competent forces repatriated 743 remains of Vietnamese soldiers who died in Cambodia during wars. 

During the first phase of the 2018-2019 dry season, 110 remains of Vietnamese martyrs in the neighbouring country were brought home, he said. 

Major General Nguyen Minh Hoang, Vice Political Commissar of Military Zone 7 and head of the Steering Committee 515, stressed that the search and repatriation of martyrs is the political task of the entire Party, army and people. 

He asked units and localities in Military Zone 7 to complete profiles of martyrs, make search and repatriation maps, and contact with domestic and foreign war veterans who used to fight in the localities to ask for information about martyrs. 

Colonel Nguyen Xuan Yem, Deputy Chief of the Department of Policies under the Ministry of National Defence, applauded achievements in the search and repatriation of martyrs performed by units and localities in Military Zone 7.

He urged the Steering Committee 515 to pay special attention to the information work and improve the efficiency of the search and repatriation. 

In the 2019-2020 period, the committee together with units and localities in Military Zone 7 are expected to search for and repatriate 2,390 remains of martyrs, and instruct competent forces to bring home 748 remains of Vietnamese martyrs in Cambodia. 

On this occasion, the Military Zone 7 High Command presented certificates of merit to 33 collectives and 64 individuals with outstanding performance in the work in 2016-2018.

Young intellectuals suggest measures to tap industry 4.0 potential

Young Vietnamese intellectuals pose for a group photo at the forum (Photo: doanhnghiephoinhap.vn)

Two hundred young Vietnamese intellectuals have gathered in the central city of Da Nang to pool their ideas to help the country capitalise on opportunities brought about by the 4th industrial revolution (4IR) for a better workforce, environment and business climate. 

The youths, residing in 21 countries and working in 52 different areas, were brought together at the first Global Young Vietnamese Intellectual Forum, themed “Tapping the power of young Vietnamese intellectuals in the 4IR era”.

According to the organiser – the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee and the Vietnam Youth Federation – 27 percent of the participants are assistant professors, doctors and post-docs, 25 percent hold Master’s degrees, 33 percent have Bachelor’s degrees and 5 percent are students with outstanding academic performance.

At the last session of the three-day forum on November 29, three groups presented their opinions and recommendations on three main topics – promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to build a high-quality workforce; adopting 4IR technologies in environmental protection and climate change response; and promoting innovation in manufacturing and business.

Tran Thi Nhu Hoa from the Gachon University in the Republic of Korea, representing the STEM group, called for a full survey on current STEM education at all levels and the building of a national strategy, policies and an action plan for STEM development.

She proposed the Ministry of Education and Training develop standard STEM programmes, materials, and education models in line with local conditions at all levels of education, with particular attention paid to the groups of the disabled and ethnic minority students. Relevant training courses for teachers and communications campaigns to raise public awareness on STEM education are also needed, she said.

The leader of the group working on the environmental matter, Khuu Thuy Duong from the UK-based University College London, recommended the Government increase the number of relevant cross-sector research projects regarding science, economics, social science, and politics. 

According to the group, it is necessary to have more studies on boosting public awareness on disaster risk reduction and the application of 4IR technologies in climate change adaptation, while improving regional energy planning to tap into each region’s advantages.

Nguyen Bich Ngoc from the Vietnam National Economics University, leader of the innovation group, stressed the importance of encouraging the private sector’s involvement in innovation, improving coordination among public agencies and sectors, and leveraging international economic integration for domestic innovation progress.

She said training establishments ought to reform their training methods to enhance their teaching quality and work with businesses to meet practical demand.

The forum rounded off with the establishment of its working mechanism and the debut of a global network of young Vietnamese intellectuals. Participants agreed on the theme of sustainable development for the second forum next year.  

At present, there are more than 400,000 Vietnamese intellectuals abroad, including over 6,000 doctorate degree holders. Up to 150,000 are working in the US – of whom, roughly 12,000 working in Silicon Valley, more than 100 at the World Bank, 40,000 in France, 20,000 in Canada, 4,000 in Eastern Europe and Russia, and 7,000 in Australia.