The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has just decided to approve the city's education development strategy from now to 2030, with a vision for 2045. As per the city's education development strategy, the city aims to develop each student’s potential and creativity and improve the quality of education and training which means to raise the quality of its human resources.

The education sector strives to train a young generation with the ideals of national independence and socialism. Moreover, young people must have ethics and a strong will to build and protect the Fatherland and they have a healthy lifestyle, a sense of social responsibility, creative thinking, and practical skills for the city’s growth in the future.

Along with that, the southern metropolis will innovate state management of education and training in a streamlined and effective direction by perfecting the organizational structure, functions and tasks of education management agencies at all levels. Educational management between quality of its human resources educational institutions will be connected.

In particular, Ho Chi Minh City will build specific mechanisms and policies in the education sector to attract high-quality human resources. School leaders will have autonomy but they will be held accountable to society, learners, and management agencies about the training quality.

To achieve those goals, from now until 2025, the city will reduce an average of at least 10 percent of public schools and 10 percent of teachers on public schools’ payrolls who receive salaries from the state budget compared to 2021.

Furthermore, labor contracts of employees working in public schools that do not comply with regulations will be terminated but their peers in self-financing schools can continue working depending on schools' demand. Additionally, the city will continue to reduce on average 10 percent of direct spending from the state budget in public schools compared to the period 2016-2020.

Technology to handle violating vehicles piloted

The Traffic Police Department (C08) under the Ministry of Public Security yesterday informed that it began piloting an IT application for patrolling and vehicle monitoring tasks on National Highway No.1A.

Accordingly, this patrol and control application, installed on mobile devices, is linked to the professional database of the police for automation of the tasks. This is supposed to improve the performance of both the patrolling and vehicle monitoring tasks.

The application exploits the QR scanning technology to check and collect information of vehicle users via their chip-based citizen ID card or diving licence quickly and precisely. These information pieces are then sent online to traffic police teams on duty on National Highway No.1A as well as the Traffic Command Centers at all levels for management purposes.

After one day piloting the software, local traffic police officers were able to enter data of more than 7,500 inspections, and detect 1,700 violation cases.

In related news, during the 10 days carrying out law observation checking before Tet holiday (from January 11-21), the traffic police force detected and fined about 30,500 cases of blood alcohol concentration violations. On National Highway No.1A, more than 3,100 cases were handled.

Party official makes working trip to Russia

Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung led a CPV delegation to Russia for a working trip from January 20-23.

The delegation held meetings and working sessions with Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko who is also co-chair of the Vietnam-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technological Cooperation; Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, and leaders of major political parties in Russia. 

At the events, both sides affirmed the significance of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership and highlighted the ties between the political parties of Russia and the CPV as a political foundation for the relations between the two countries and their people. They also hailed the developments in bilateral ties in the recent time.

The Vietnamese delegation expressed gratitude on behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State, and people for the substantial and effective support extended by the Party, State and people of the Soviet Union, including Russia, during Vietnam's two wars for national independence, as well as the ongoing assistance provided by Russia.

During the visit, Trung and Chairman of the Communist Party of Russian Federation (CPRF) Gennady Zyuganov signed an agreement to expand and deepen the cooperative relationship between the CPV and the CPRF.

The Vietnamese official also attended a round-table conference hosted by the United Russia Party, which centred on the role of politically responsible forces of Russia and ASEAN countries in shaping a new and equitable world order.

International friendly football tournament to kick off in Hanoi

The Hana Play Cup 2024, an international friendly football competition, will take place from January 23 to January 27 at the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi.

The organising board of the tournament shared that the event will consist of four teams, including Hanoi FC, The Cong-Viettel FC, Daejeon Hana Citizen FC of the Republic of Korea, and Bali United FC of Indonesia.

According to the draw schedule, Hanoi FC will face off against The Cong-Viettel FC on January 23, while Daejeon Hana Citizen FC will play Bali United FC on January 27.

The third-place match and the final are set to be held on January 27. All matches will be broadcast live on VTV Cab.

Hanoi focuses on infrastructure development for ethnic regions

Improving infrastructure in ethnic areas is one of the most important tasks the authorities have focused on in recent years.

Over the past three years, Hanoi has spent more than VND1 trillion (US$40.7 million) on new construction and renovation of infrastructure for people living in ethnic and mountainous areas of the city.

So far, the city government has launched 95 projects, of which 52 have been completed and put into operation, another 15 are nearing completion, and 13 are in progress. Since the beginning of 2023, ethnic and mountainous districts have implemented 15 projects.

Nguyen Nguyen Quan, Chairman of the Hanoi Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, said that the investments according to Plan 253/KH-UBND of the Hanoi People's Committee dated November 11, 2021, have brought about comprehensive and sustainable socio-economic growth in ethnic minority areas.

These investments have also brought out the full potential and advantages of ethnic people, he said.

"Through the projects, we have seen that the gap in income and living standards between ethnic people and rural residents has narrowed," Quan said.

According to the chairman, the average income of ethnic and mountainous communes in 2023 was VND66 million (nearly $2,700) per capita, the proportion of poor families dropped to 0.42%, and all 13 communes fulfilled their tasks in developing new rural areas.

Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen said that taking care of ethnic people is one of the city's top priorities from the municipal to the local level.

In addition to allocating a huge capital fund for ethnic minority regions, the city government has sought ways to decentralize power to district and commune-level authorities so that they can make their own decisions on construction projects, he said.

Municipal authorities also monitor and help subordinate authorities to solve problems during project implementation, the vice chairman added.

"Annual assessments have shown that local governments in ethnic mountainous areas have performed well and have efficiently implemented projects in line with expectations," he said.

According to Quan, chairman of the Hanoi Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, the city government will strengthen communication with ethnic people to help them understand Party and government policies.

The city's Party committee and local organizations will boost their outreach to ethnic, mountainous areas and work together to address emerging issues to improve local ethnic residents' trust in the authorities, he said at a meeting on ethnic minority affairs earlier this month.

Quan also called for joint efforts by Hanoi's municipal and local authorities to implement effective solutions to improve the living conditions of ethnic people in the capital region.

"We need to take care of them, especially during the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) festival," he said.

Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park recognised as tourism site

The People’s Committee of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong recently recognised the Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park in Lac Duong district as a tourism site.

As the core zone of the UNESCO-recognised Langbiang World Natural Reserve, the national park has organised an array of eco-tourism activities to serve both domestic and foreign visitors in recent years.

Under the decision issued by the provincial People’s Committee, the Centre for Eco-tourism and Environmental Education of the national park must comply with current regulations while managing and operating tourism business activities at this site.

The Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, one of the largest in Vietnam, is located at the centre of Lam Vien plateau, dubbed “the roof” of the Central Highlands region. It has been rated as one of the four biodiversity centres of Vietnam, one of the 221 important bird areas in the world, and a priority area for the conservation programme of the main mountain ranges of the South Truong Son Range (SA3 area). 

Spanning more than 70,000 hectares with 91% of the area being primary forests, the national park is rich in flora and fauna. It is now home to more than 2,000 species of plants, 131 of animals and 304 of birds.

Over the past years, the park has organised various tours to raise public awareness of environmental protection, and signed Memoranda of Understanding with travel firms and universities to arrange trips for hundreds of students to study the local nature and culture.

It has welcomed more than 39,000 tourists, including 33,000 domestic. Last year, it hosted 8,231 visitors and gained more than 2.3 billion VND (93,600 USD) in tourism revenue.

Vietnamese players encouraged after loss, promise good result against Iraq

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF)’s officials have asked Vietnam's coaches and players to look for a positive result in their last Asian Cup's group round match on January 24 in Doha, Qatar.

"I hope that Vietnamese fans will trust us and support us in our journey because we are on the way to get closer to the continental level. Let's accompany each other and strive together."

Earlier defender Bui Hoang Viet Anh and midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh expressed their own opinions about the match. They regretted that Vietnam played without some experienced members because of injuries. Meanwhile they appreciated remarkable progress of Indonesia especially after they naturalised several players.

Indonesia's win showed that football was constantly moving forward and the Vietnamese team needed to work harder.

“Supporters should believe in us. Vietnam team will change for a stronger and better performance”, said Viet Anh.

Tuan Anh added that the team still needed more time to be fluent with Troussier's plans.

US scholar suggests priorities for ASEAN to achieve sustainable development

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs to prioritise the quality of education and public health, implement clean energy transition, adopt sustainable agriculture practices, improve urban planning and accelerate digitalisation to achieve sustainable development.

Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, made the suggestions at a workshop on a green ASEAN held in Bangkok, Thailand.

He said ASEAN is among the fastest-growing regions globally as the bloc is equipped with clean energy, technology, expertise and know-how to reach sustainable development. A well-educated young generation will become a quality human resource, attracting foreign investors.

On the second priority, Sachs said the regional countries need to focus on improving their health systems because physical and mental health plays a very important role in improving productivity.

The scholar also said that ASEAN member states need to invest in the energy transition. The use of clean energy and the move towards a "zero-carbon" economy are necessary, especially in the context of global warming, natural disasters and worsening food shortages.

He acknowledged that the countries should invest in sustainable agriculture as the current agriculture sector is facing challenges from intensified water cycles, climate pressures and new pests.

Sachs held that the countries must have new agricultural strategies that are sustainable and capital-intensive, technology-intensive and information-intensive.

He also noted the importance of investing in urban infrastructure, such as public transport, social housing and green spaces.

Finally, the professor affirmed that digital platforms and transformation are necessary because these are powerful tools that the countries need to have at hand. He also shared that if all ASEAN member states implement these priorities, or more broadly all countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the whole Asia-Pacific region will benefit.

Vietnam suggests measures to boost tourism cooperation in ASEAN

Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Trung Khanh put forth some measures to boost regional tourism cooperation while addressing the 59th Meeting of the ASEAN National Tourism Organisations in Vientiane, Laos, on January 23.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs to pay more attention to joint activities in three partner countries, namely China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and take advantage of the strengths of partners and dialogues to promote ASEAN tourism, he said, elaborating that after COVID-19 pandemic tourists tend to travel shorter distances.

It is essential for the bloc to seek out tourism standards in the coming years, taking into account emerging regional trends such as golf tourism, the head of the Vietnamese delegation said, adding that this is an attractive product and also a strength of ASEAN member countries.

He held that more efforts should be paid to developing and diversifying tourism products, with the participation of the member countries, in which ASEAN can jointly organise a joint regional festival.

Khanh told the meeting that Vietnam welcomed about 12.6 million foreign tourists last year, including about 2.1 million visitors from the ASEAN countries. He also expressed optimism about the bright prospects in 2024, saying that the tourism markets of all ASEAN countries will fully recover.

Entitled “Quality and responsible tourism - Sustaining ASEAN future”, the meeting focused on discussing and updating the implementation of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025, and decisions relating to tourism at the 42nd and 43rd ASEAN Summits.
 
The reports of the ASEAN Tourism Committee and other issues relating to partners and dialogues as well as preparation of agenda and joint statement of the 27th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers and Related Meetings were also touched upon.

Tet gifts, greetings come to the needy in Hau Giang, Quang Ngai, Binh Thuan

High-ranking officials of the Party and State on January 23 visited and offered greetings to people with disadvantages in Hau Giang, Quang Ngai, and Binh Thuan provinces, ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tet).

In the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, a delegation led by Tran Thanh Man, Politburo member and Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA), visited disadvantaged workers, war invalids, poor households, and those with difficulties.

Presenting Tet gifts to 150 social policy beneficiary, low-income, and less privileged families in Chau Thanh A district, he offered the best New Year wishes to the local Party organisation, administration, and people. He highly valued the province’s achievements in economic development and social security ensuring last year, especially the completion of 1,400 houses for the poor.

Man also symbolically presented Tet gifts to 500 disadvantaged households in Hau Giang.

The delegation also paid pre-Tet visits to needy workers of a company based in the Tan Phu Thanh Industrial Park and a war invalid in Thanh Xuan commune of Chau Thanh A district.

The same day, NA Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong attended a Tet celebration programme held by the Labour Federation of central Quang Ngai province for local workers.

The provincial Labour Federation handed over 2,500 gift packages and 30 houses worth 1.5 billion VND (61,000 USD) in total to workers with difficulties. It also announced sponsorship for two orphans who are children of local workers until they reach the age of 18.

Phuong praised the dynamism and creativity of the Party Committee, People’s Committee, Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee, along with all-level trade unions of Quang Ngai in caring for local workers’ material and spiritual life over the past years.

He expressed sympathies for the ones with disadvantages and called on them to keep exerting efforts to get rid of poverty and improve their life quality. He also asked local authorities to assist trade unions to care for workers’ life so as to contribute to the development of businesses and the province.

On this occasion, 13 units and businesses donated over 405 million VND to join hands with the provincial Labour Federation in the work. The federation also persuaded businesses to offer 10 - 35% discounts on the goods sold at the Labour Culture House of Quang Ngai on January 23 - 24 so that workers can prepare for the coming biggest traditional festival.

In the south-central province of Binh Thuan, a delegation led by NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai presented Tet gifts to disadvantaged families in Bac Binh district.

Applauding the development of Bac Binh in 2023, Hai said the gifts aim to contribute to a merry Tet for all.

He voiced his hope that local authorities and people will keep upholding solidarity to weather difficulties and challenges to fulfill this year’s political tasks, develop the locality, and better care for people’s life quality.

Visiting the Binh Thuan exhibition centre for the Cham ethnic culture, the delegation sent Tet greetings and presented gifts to representatives of Phan Thanh, Phan Hiep, and Phan Hoa communes, home to a large number of ethnic minority people. Gifts were also presented to 15 religious dignitaries and seven outstanding artisans of the Cham ethnic group, 30 students from underprivileged backgrounds, and 30 poor households of this ethnic minority.

On this occasion, the Petrovietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation and the VFF Central Committee also handed over Tet gifts worth 340 million VND in total to residents in Binh Thuan.

VSS cooperates with French partner in promoting public health care

The Vietnam Social Security (VSS) and the France-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFV) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on strategic cooperation in optimising the medical and pharmaceutical systems to care for people's health.

According to French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet, the French Embassy in Vietnam has cooperated with VSS in the fields of health care and pharmacy since 2018.

In 2019, the French Pharmaceutical Companies Association (Leem) signed an agreement with VSS in the pharmaceutical area, he noted, affirming that the newly-signed MoU is the continuance of the sound cooperation between the two sides.

VSS Deputy General Director Nguyen Duc Hoa said that currently, about 18.26 million people have joined social insurance, accounting for 39.25% of the country’s workforce, along with about 14.7 million people joining unemployment insurance and over 93.3 million people covered by health insurance, or 93.35% of the country’s population.

However, Hoa pointed out a number of difficulties that VSS is facing in ensuring that people covered by health insurance access medicine, medical equipment and services with high quality, as well as challenges in managing spending of the health insurance fund on drugs, medical supplies, and medical technical services.

He underlined that the MoU is not only a commitment to public health but a shared effort of the two sides in providing high-quality medical services for people of the two countries, contributing to promoting Vietnam-France relations.

Under the MoU, the two sides will share information and experience on measures to increase income sources for the health insurance fund and the implementation of supplementary health insurance packages, while supporting each other in enhancing capacity in medical technology assessment serving the building of a list of drugs, medical supplies, and technical services covered by the health insurance fund.

Meanwhile, the two sides will also work together in communications to raise awareness of the community and medical staff about safe, reasonable and effective use of drugs, ensuring the effective use of the health insurance fund and patients' rights, and optimising resources for the improvement of healthcare services.

Vietnamese beauties bring warm Tet to OVs, border residents

Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien presented nearly 500 gifts and scholarships to Cambodians of the Vietnamese origin with difficulties in Phnom Penh and Kandal province in an effort to bring them a warm and happy Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival.

The event was organised by Sen Vang Advertising Commercial JSC, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi minh City, the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia, and the Vietnamese Embassy in the country.

The beauty said she hopes that the gifts, composing of books, clothing, sweets and essentials, will bring joy to students and disadvantaged families.
 Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2022 Nong Thuy Hang presents gifts to ethnic kids in Bac Me district of Ha Giang province. (Photo: VNA)
Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2022 Nong Thuy Hang went to Ha Giang province’s Sao Ha village, where 94% of the population live in poverty.

She delivered gifts including cash and essentials for impoverished families there, hoping that they will enjoy a warmer Tet holiday.

Engaging in the “warm winter in mountainous region” and “zero VND market” programmes in Bac Me district, Hang visited households with difficult circumstances and presented gifts to ethnic boarding schools and Thuong Tan kindergarten in the district.

 Miss World Vietnam 2023 Runner-up Dao Thi Hien and poor students in Lao Cai province. (Photo: VNA)
Meanwhile, Miss World Vietnam 2023 Runner-up Dao Thi Hien gave lucky money and essentials to hundreds of students and residents with difficulties in Ban Lau and Lung Vai communes, Lao Cai province.

She also delivered Tet gifts to local border guard stations.

Nearly 15,500 tonnes of rice allocated for 17 provinces

Seventeen provinces across the country will be provided with nearly 15,500 tonnes of rice to allocate for local residents during the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday and the between-crop period in early 2024, said Deputy Director of the General Department of State Reserves (GDSR) Nguyen Thi Pho Giang at a press conference held on January 22.

The volume includes 12,876 tonnes of rice for 17 provinces during Tet and 2,618 tonnes of rice for five provinces, namely Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Quang Binh, Dak Lak and Dak Nong, during the between-crop period.

As of January 18, over 3,545 tonnes of rice were handed over to Soc Trang province, the GDSR said, adding that the rice inventory is enough for localities in unexpected and urgent situations and during Tet.

The GDSR is developing a plan to purchase 240,000 tonnes of rice for State reserves in 2024. After receiving approval from the Prime Minister, it will direct units to implement the plan, ensuring enough resources to carry out tasks in line with the objectives prescribed in the Law on National Reserve, as well as proactively and effectively respond to every unexpected and urgent circumstances and prevent food shortages during between-crop periods, natural disasters and epidemics.

OVs in Sweden, Latvia celebrate Tet festival

A get-together for overseas Vietnamese in Sweden and Latvia to welcome the Lunar New Year 2024 has been held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Sweden.

Gathering crowds of representatives from the Vietnamese communities in the two countries, the embassies of other ASEAN member nations in the European nations, and international friends, the event also reviewed the fruitful development of the Vietnam – Sweden relations over the past 55 years.

Addressing the event, Ambassador Tran Van Tuan highlighted Vietnam's socio-economic development achievements in 2023, and the country’s practical and effective contributions to international and regional organisations and forums.

He appreciated the valuable support and assistance provided by the Swedish government and people for Vietnam in its struggle for national independence and reunification in the past, as well as in Doi moi (renewal) and international integration efforts, and national construction at present.

The diplomat asserted a commitment to focus on strengthening the bilateral relations between Vietnam and Sweden in various areas, especially in mitigating climate change, protecting the environment, developing carbon capture technology, managing and treating waste, digital transformation, energy transition, financial management, public health, labour cooperation, trade, and investment.

The embassy is actively promoting the establishment of direct flights and maritime transport routes connecting Vietnam and Sweden, he said, adding that the agency is also collaborating with Swedish authorities to propose possibilities for upgrading the partnership between the two countries on par with the bilateral relations and aligning with the demand and practical interests of their people, he said.

He highly valued the contributions by nearly the 23,000 Vietnamese expats in those two European countries to the development of Vietnam and the host countries, especially in enhancing trade and investment connections, introducing goods and services, and promoting Vietnamese culture and language there.

The ambassador expressed his belief that the Vietnamese community in the two European nations will continue to reap more accomplishments.

Similarities, common interests help develop Malta-Vietnam relations: Ambassador

Despite their geographical distance, over the past years, Malta and Vietnam have identified similarities and common interests, helping them cooperate in many fields for the benefit of the two peoples, Malta Ambassador to Vietnam John Busuttil has told the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (January 14).

Busuttil said that the 50th anniversary is a truly remarkable milestone and an opportunity for the two countries to look back on the achievements of the past five decades to better outline a roadmap for their promising friendship for the coming decades.

Regarding bilateral cooperation, Malta and Vietnam have signed agreements on trade, economics, finance and science, he said, adding that Malta is always willing to explore new and diverse areas of cooperation with Vietnam to develop mutual respect and understanding and common cohesion.

The two countries have developed a shared commitment to pursuing peace and prosperity, with their participation in the United Nations affirming these goals, highlighting their dynamism and flexibility as members of the international community, and making them more resilient in the face of global challenges.

Regarding priorities in Malta's relationship with Vietnam, the diplomat said that at the bilateral level, Malta wants to further explore opportunities for trade cooperation with Vietnam - one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The consistent growth, and the flexibility and know-how in the manufacturing sector make Vietnam an attractive partner and Malta is increasingly aware of the commercial potential of this relationship.

In addition, Malta also sees many opportunities for collaboration in the fields of education and advanced manufacturing, he said, adding that his country can provide Vietnam with support in teaching English as a foreign language and in specific fields such as international maritime law.

To enhance the bilateral ties, this year, Malta plans to organise several events in Vietnam on the occasion of the European country’s Independence Day in September, said the ambassador.

Singaporean naval ship visits Khanh Hoa province

Singapore's naval ship RSS ENDEAVOUR anchored at Cam Ranh International Port on January 22, beginning a four-day visit to the south central province of Khanh Hoa.

The visit aims to contribute to strengthening cooperation, mutual understanding and trust between the armies of Vietnam and Singapore in general and their naval forces in particular.

During the visit, the ship's officiers are scheduled to paid a courtesy visit to the Naval Region 4 High Command while its sailors will join exchange activities with young officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy.

Besides, the Singaporean naval ship will coordinate with the Vietnam People's Navy to conduct a joint training session at sea after leaving the port.

Ban flower festival to ignite National Tourism Year - Dien Bien Phu 2024

The Ban Flower Festival, a highlight of the National Tourism Year 2024, is set to open in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien on March 16.

Spanning from March 13 to 18, the festival boasts a diverse lineup of activities, including an incense offering ceremony at the Dien Bien Phu martyrs' memorial temple, the launch of the National Tourism Year 2024 featuring a music extravaganza and a high-altitude fireworks display, a photo contest showcasing the resplendent Ban flower landscape, a show of traditional costumes of ethnic groups, an ethnic sports competition, an exhibition featuring cultural and tourism products, and activities to connect tours and travel routes.

Festival-goers can expect to immerse themselves in the rich cultural tapestry of the northwestern mountainous region, with offerings such as a market space spotlighting distinctive local agricultural products, a competition featuring traditional folk games like seesawing, con throwing, stilt walking, blindfolded tag, and sack racing. Additionally, traditional folk songs, dances and music, including the unique art forms of Then and Xoe performed by ethnic groups like the Thai, Tay, Mong, Ha Nhi, Kho Mu, Xi La, Lao, and Xa Phang, will be performed.

Held for the first time in 2014, the annual event holds significance beyond celebrating the Ban flower, serving as a celeration of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the 115th founding anniversary of Dien Bien province, and the 75th anniversary of the provincial Party Organisation.

The festival also stands as a testament to the symbolic importance of Ban flower that represents the identity of land and people of the northwest region and Dien Bien in particular, as well as contributing to popularising Dien Bien's tourism brand in the foreseeable future.

Vietnam, New Zealand cooperate effectively in climate change responses

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh on January 23 had a working session with New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Trenede Dobson on cooperation between the two sides in the field of climate change response.

At the meeting, the Vietnamese official informed the guest that his ministry is assigned to build a legal framework to certify carbon credit management, towards building a carbon market in Vietnam.

He hoped that in that process, the ministry will receive support and exchange from partners, including New Zealand.

For her part, Ambassador Dobson informed the host about the New Zealand Government's international climate finance strategy to contribute to global efforts to respond to climate change. Accordingly, the New Zealand Parliament approved a financial commitment of 1.3 billion NZD for the period 2022-2025, with at least 50% of the funding to be given directly to countries in the Pacific region to strengthen their climate change resilience, and at least 50% will be used to support developing countries in adapting to the impacts of climate change.

Mentioning three New Zealand-funded projects in Vietnam, the ambassador affirmed that the New Zealand Embassy in Vietnam will work for the effective implementation of the projects. One of the projects aims to restore the Great Delta in Asia with financial resources of 18.6 million NZD (11.3 million USD); another will improve livelihoods and employment for female workers in the energy sector jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UN Women) and the Vietnam Women's Union in Phase 1; and the third one will promote the effective use of energy funded by New Zealand in coordination with the Asian Development Bank

Host and guest believed that the two countries will continue to promote cooperation in the field of climate change and support each other to overcome challenges toward achieving the common goal of carbon neutrality.

Two Chinese sailors in distress rescued at Quan Lan sea

Border guards from Quan Lan and Ngoc Vung Border Guard Stations in the northern province of Quang Ninh on January 22 night rescued two Chinese sailors in distress in the waters to the east of Quan Lan island.

According to sources from the two border guard stations, the Quan Lan Border Guard Station at 9:10 pm on January 22 received information about a transport boat that had problems off Quan Lan Island. The station urgently deployed forces and notified fishermen operating nearby to search for the vessel in distress.

At about 10:20 pm, the border guards found the boat and rescuing two Chinese men on it.

The two Chinese fishermen were taken to Quan Lan island for health check and care. They have recovered and are now in stable health condition.

Vietnam highlights people-centred approach to sustainable development

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, proposed cooperation orientations for the Group of 77 (G77) while addressing the Third South Summit - G77 Plus China, held in Kampala, Uganda, on January 21 and 22.

He suggested the group further coordinate in the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs), with a people-centred approach.

Science, technology, and innovation should be a central area of collaboration, and the group should utilise every framework to mobilise maximum capital and knowledge, Giang said.

The diplomat noted that climate change response must go hand in hand with just energy transition, taking into account circumstances as well as development requirements of developing countries.

With the theme of “Leaving No One Behind”, the Third South Summit looked to bring a new dynamic to the cooperation among 134 member states of G77 in a more competitive world.

The summit also aimed at boosting South-South cooperation, including in the areas of trade, investment, sustainable development, climate change, poverty eradication, and the digital economy.

At the summit, developing countries urged developed nations to fulfill their commitments to financial contributions, enhance capabilities, transfer technologies, ensure access to preferential finance, and implement debt relief measures for developing countries.

They called for the restructuring of the multilateral system, especially international financial institutions, to better meet the needs of developing countries.

The participants also unanimously adopted a document emphasising the urgent need for all relevant parties to take prompt actions to achieve the SDGs with the principle of leaving no one behind.

 On the sidelines of the summit, Giang met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas to discuss specific measures to enhance the bilateral relations, including the signing of a bilateral framework cooperation agreement, and the acceleration of visa exemption for citizens of the two countries.

USAID helps Vietnam develop human resources for startup ecosystem

The Ministry of Planning and Investment's National Innovation Centre (NIC) on January 23 held an event to review its activities under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Workforce for an Innovation and Start-up Ecosystem (WISE) programme.

In his remarks, NIC Director Vu Quoc Huy revealed that the USAID supported NIC in implementing the programme during 2021-2023, aiming to train and further enhance the quality of Vietnam's human resources serving the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Over the three years, the initiative targeted strengthening basic digital skills as well as developing the market for digital skills training and innovative financial solutions for education. The NIC collaborated with numerous public and private partners to organise various training sessions, conferences, and in-depth seminars to address issues related to the development of high-quality human resources in key areas such as AI, cloud computing, product development, and smart factories.

He noted that these activities successfully engaged many partners with a high level of outreach and were evaluated as effective. They also had a positive impact on the beneficiaries in reaching rural areas and vulnerable groups like labourers. The project also expanded connections with partners and networks, particularly innovation and startup centres, universities and colleges, which are hubs of intellectual resources. 

Douglas Balko, head of USAID Vietnam’s office for state governance and economic growth, said integration is a focal point in the work of USAID, and through this partnership with NIC, WISE has supported partners in expanding access to innovation and digital skills training, narrowing the gender and urban-rural gap, and enhancing the country's digital workforce.

The achievements of the programme will serve as a foundation for further progress and innovation, he said, adding that the initiatives and partnerships USAID has fostered will continue to develop strongly, creating a sustainable ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in Vietnam.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes