Vietnam, Cuba agree to foster security ties

General Tran Dai Quang, Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security, held talks with the Cuban Interior Minister, Albelardo Colome Ibrarra, in Havana on March 23, during which they agreed to increase the sharing of information and experience in coping with traditional and non-traditional security threats.

Both sides concurred that they will benefit from enhancing cooperation in preventing and combating transnational and organised crime, terrorism, drug smuggling and human trafficking.

The two sides will also intensify collaboration in personnel training, while supporting each other in the provision of specialised equipment and vehicles.

Ibrarra, who also sits on the country’s Politburo and is a member of Cuba’s State Council, said General Quang’s visit marked the start of a series of activities to celebrate the 55 th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, and contributed to promoting traditional friendship between the two countries, and the two public security forces in particular.

He also lauded the socio-economic and security-defence achievements that Vietnam has recorded in the cause of national defence and construction.

General Quang, who will be in Cuba from March 21-25, thanked the Cuban Party, Government and people for their support of Vietnam during its struggle for independence and its subsequent development drive.

He emphasised Vietnam’s support for the Cuban people. He also expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba, the Caribbean country will overcome all its development challenges.

Defence Minister pays tribute to former Singaporean PM

Vietnamese Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh on March 24 visited the residence of the Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam to pay tribute to former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who passed away early on March 23 at the age of 91.

Lee Kuan Yew was the founding Prime Minister of Singapore and father of the current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He has been widely credited with turning Singapore into one of the most affluent economies in Asia within three decades.

He was Singapore’s Prime Minister from 1959 to 1990 and is considered a highly influential politician for the island nation.

Party chief welcomes Russian diplomat

On March 23, Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong received new Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Vnukov Konstantin Vasilievich.

The Party leader said that Vietnam always treasured the time-honoured friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia considering it to be a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign relations.

Trong expressed his hope that the Ambassador would fulfill his tasks and contribute to furthering bilateral ties. He conveyed his best regards to President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders.

He also expressed his delight at the flourishing Vietnam-Russia relations across a variety of fields.

He wished the diplomat a successful working term as a contribution to fortifying the friendship and all-sided cooperation between the two countries for mutual benefit.

Ambassador Vnukov in turn pledged to use his utmost efforts to make contributions to the stronger development of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in the future.

PM Dung meets Vietnam Red Cross Society

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with representatives from the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) on March 24 at the Government Headquarters.

VRCS Chairman Nguyen Hai Duong informed the PM that the VRCS currently has nearly 17,000 grassroots-level societies with more than 8 million members and volunteer workers.

According to Duong, the society carries out initiatives in seven activity fields including emergency relief & humanitarian aid; healthcare; first aid; blood, tissue, human organ and corpse donation; information on missing-in-action veterans or disaster victims; disseminating humanitarian values; and preventing and responding to natural disasters.

The society has organized a dozen programmes such as ‘Tet (Lunar New Year) for the poor and Agent Orange victims,’ the ‘Bank of Cows’ project, and the ‘Each individual, organization aids a humanitarian address’ campaign, which have each yielded their own successes, Duong said.

Since July, 2012, the society has mobilised 6.9 trillion VND (320 million USD) from domestic and foreign philanthropists, Duong added.

Duong confirmed the society has received substantial support from the Government and that the PM has issued a number of important documents forming a legal framework for the society to operate effectively in recent years.

One of projects benefiting from Government support is the provision of 49.3 billion VND (2.3 million USD) to implement the ‘Helping Agent Orange victims in the Central Highlands and Tay Ninh’ project from 2006-2010 and 2011-2015.

The government also provided 89 billion VND (4.1 million USD) for the VRCS to construct and purchase equipment for a staff training centre and warehouse.

Addressing the meeting, the PM recognized the VRCS’s contributions to the nation’s development through practical activities over the past 69 years.

Condolences over death of former Australian PM

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent his condolences to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot on March 24 on the passing of former Australian Prime Minister Sir John Malcolm Fraser.

Fraser, who led Australia from 1975-1983 , died on March 20 at the age of 84 after a short illness, according to an official statement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also sent condolences to Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

The 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-132) offers Vietnam a good opportunity to introduce its socio-economic development achievements after 30 years of pursuing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process and elevate the image of the nation’s land and its people.

The IPU-132 is regarded as the biggest-ever multilateral diplomatic event Vietnam has ever hosted, demonstrating the country’s international profile and the international community’s confidence in Vietnam.

After three consecutive years of hosting the event in Geneva (Switzerland), this year’s IPU Assembly in Vietnam has captured the major attention from international friends.

To date, the number of delegations registered for the international event has exceeded the figure set by the host country.

IPU-132 Secretariat Deputy Head Ly Duc Chung said as of March 20, a total of 161 delegations at different NA levels have registered to take part in the event.

Themed “Sustainable Development Goals: Turning words into action", the IPU-132 is expected to attract top leaders of global parliaments, regional inter-parliamentary and international organisations, distinguished guests, and foreign reporters.

The IPU-132 and related meetings to be held in Vietnam this year along with major national events and holidays will give Vietnam a chance to introduce international friends the 30-year renewal and parliamentary diplomacy achievements.

“After 30 years of renovation, Vietnam have reaped achievements in external relations, becoming a proactive and responsible member of the international community. The IPU-132 is a manifestation of the nation’s deeper parliamentary integration,” Chung said.

Vietnam’s major international events have left a strong impression in the hearts of international friends.

As a host country, Vietnam is set to welcome delegates from more than 160 countries across the globe and seize every opportunity to promote the history, culture, tourism, land and people as well as the dynamic economy over recent years.

In turn, foreign delegates, even new comers to the capital city desire to seek opportunities for trade and investment cooperation with Vietnam.

Vietnam is to launch a broad array of activities on the sidelines of the IPU-132 such as making tours of tourism sites- Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh), Trang Anh landscapes complex (Ninh Binh), Thang Long Royal Citadel and the Temple of Literature (Hanoi), and organizing a great parliamentary unity night at the Vietnam ethnic cultural village in Dong Mo, Son Tay.

NA Office Chairwoman Nguyen Thanh Hai highlighted the night as an opportune occasion for international friends and parliamentarians to gain a better understanding of Vietnamese culture and people thereby propelling national tourism.

On the occasion, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will also intensify promotional activities introducing Vietnam's tourism at places where the IPU- related meetings are held or at hotels where IPU-132 delegates stay.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huynh Vinh Ai said, "We have directed major hotels throughout the country to prepare programs to keep guests informed of necessary information. The Ministry has worked hand in hand with relevant agencies to conduct city tours.”

The IPU-132 will give members of parliament the chance to witness the Southeast Asian nation’s tremendous socio- economic achievements, a developed parliamentary diplomacy and discover a beautiful and culturally rich nation with friendly, hospitable and peace-loving people.

PM instructs Long An to industrialise

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged the Mekong Delta province of Long An to become a modernised industrial province in the 2016-20 period.

The province should strengthen the industry and service sectors, while reducing the overreliance on agricultural labour, the PM said during a working session with provincial leaders on March 24. He suggested that local authorities promote hi-tech agriculture to generate more added value for the sector.

The PM requested the province to instruct farmers to replace inefficient crops with more productive ones, allowing them to optimise land use to raise their incomes. He also stressed the importance of boosting private economic growth, while speeding up the building of new-style rural areas.

According to Long An leaders, the locality is estimated to fulfil and exceed 16 out of its 19 socio-economic goals in the near future. While the province has yet to complete all of its economic growth, export and social investment targets, its achievements in these fields are still considerable.

Long An’s growth in the 2011-14 period reached 11.1 percent annually and is expected to hit 11.5 percent this year, and about 11.25 percent for the 2011-15 period.

Last year, the annual per capita GDP of the province was 44.5 million VND (2,047 USD). This is hoped to be raised to 50 million USD (2,300 USD) in 2015.

Industry-construction accounted for 41.5 percent of the province’s economic structure in 2014, while trade-services made up 31.2 percent and agro-forestry-fishery 27.3 percent.

Meanwhile, 27 local communes have satisfied all 19 criteria of the new-style rural area building programme. By the end of this year, the number is expected to stand at 36 out of the total 166 communes.

Progress has also been seen in poverty reduction, with the ratio of poor households standing at only 3.8 percent by the end of last year. This figure is likely to drop under 3 percent by the end of this year.