After more than one year since its release, the book “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam” by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong continues to receive warm acclaim from officials, Party members, scholars and social researchers.

Dr. Than Ngoc Anh, head of the Faculty of Scientific Socialism at the Academy of Politics Region II, said the book serves as a guide to enhance the credibility of lectures. It also helps disseminate the concept of socialism to the entire population, including those living overseas, so that they could understand what socialism is and why Vietnam has chosen the path to socialism.

Moreover, the book also holds significance in the ongoing process of reviewing the practices and theories regarding the renewal path of the Communist Party of Vietnam. It encourages and promotes the national development aspirations of the entire Party, people and armed forces in the current period.

Ho Xuan Lam, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO), said after over 35 years of following the renovation policy, Vietnam has reaped various socio-economic achievements, affirming its increasingly solid position on the international stage. This fact is the most compelling evidence of the wise choice of the socialist development path made by the Party and the nation.

According to him, the release of the book is necessary and meaningful, with its content strongly affirming the determination to build socialism and addressing the concerns of a portion of the population. It also dispels distortions and allegations by reactionary and hostile forces, thereby consolidating the public trust in the Party's leadership.

Hanoi sees bus passenger rise

Hanoi Transportation Corporation (Transerco) transported 417 million passengers in the first nine months of this year, up 42 percent on-year.

Nguyen Thanh Nam, general director of Transerco, said that during the nine-month period, the number of bus passengers using single tickets grew by 49 percent on-year, while the rate of monthly ticket users increased by 49 percent. Between January and September this year, Hanoi's bus network’s total revenues were estimated at VND410.2 billion (USD16.8 million).

The BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) line alone transported roughly 3.4 million passengers in the January-September phase.

Transerco has adjusted 28 bus routes to meet actual demand and repaired 68 bus stops.

Hanoi will continue expanding and improving the public transport network to help ease traffic congestion and protect the environment. The city’s public passenger transport system is expected to meet around 30-35 percent of travel demand by 2025.

Vietnam attaches importance to comprehensive strategic partnership with India: PM

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed the importance Vietnam attaches to its comprehensive strategic partnership with India, and rejoiced at the strong development of the bilateral ties over the past time while receiving Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar in Hanoi on October 16.

The PM congratulated India on its achievements in economy, national defence and science-technology, among other fields, and highlighted the time-honoured friendship between the two countries.

He lauded outcomes of the 18th meeting of the Vietnam-India Joint Committee for Economic, Trade, Science and Technology Cooperation, co-chaired by Jaishankar and his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son earlier the same day, and asked the two foreign ministries to maintain bilateral cooperation mechanisms and promote people-to-people exchanges.

Jaishankar praised Vietnam’s achievements in socio-economic development and foreign relations, affirming that India considers Vietnam an important partner in the region in implementing its “Act East Policy”, and wants to constantly enhance the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

He conveyed regards from PM Narendra Modi to PM Chinh, and expressed his hope to welcome the Vietnamese Government leader to India in the time ahead.

Regarding specific cooperation areas, Chinh spoke highly of collaboration in national defence-security, and suggested India continue its support to Vietnam in officer training, and boost cooperation in cybersecurity.

Emphasising the complementary strengths of the two economies, the PM urged relevant ministries and agencies of both sides to work harder in order to increase two-way trade turnover, towards the target of 20 billion USD as set at the 18th meeting of the joint committee.

The two sides should further facilitate door opening for each other's products, limit trade barriers, consider negotiating and signing cooperation documents to create a favourable corridor for trade and investment activities, and promote connection between the two economies in terms of goods, services, interbank payment and digital payment, he continued.

Chinh called on India to encourage its big groups to invest in Vietnam in such areas as infrastructure, seaports, logistics, oil and gas exploration and exploitation, and renewable energy.

The PM appreciated and recommended that India continue its support to Vietnam in education-training and culture, especially providing scholarships and restoring cultural relic sites, and expressed his hope that India will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese airlines to open more direct flights to its big cities.

He also suggested two sides expand cooperation in new spheres like digital transformation, climate change response, energy transition and green growth.

For his part, Jaishankar pledged that he will coordinate closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to materialise the results of the above-said meeting, contributing to deepening the bilateral relationship, particularly in national defence-security, economy, trade, investment, and science-technology.

He also suggested the two sides push ahead with procedures for recognising each other's agricultural products.

For regional and international issues of shared concern, the Indian FM emphasised that in the face of increasingly complex and unpredictable developments of the international and regional situation, India always attaches importance to cooperation with Vietnam in particular and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in general.

India is always ready to engage more strongly with the region, contributing to maintaining peace and stability, and promoting cooperation and development in the region, he affirmed.

The minister reiterated India’s stance on supporting ASEAN’s centrality and basic principles in solving regional problems, including the East Sea issue.

Prime Minister meets with Chairman of Russian State Duma

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Victorovich Volodin in Hanoi on October 16.

The two leaders exchanged information about the socio-economic situation in their respective countries. They acknowledged various challenges facing both nations in the current situation and noted that the bilateral relations have continued to make positive progress across sectors, including the exchange of delegations at all levels and through channels.

Chinh stressed that the Vietnamese Government and people highly value the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership and deep-rooted friendship, which has been cultivated and developed by their leaders and people over the past more than seven decades.

Vietnam wants to further enhance cooperation with Russia in various areas, both bilaterally and multilaterally, for the mutual benefit of both sides and for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world, he affirmed.
 
For his part, Volodin spoke highly of Vietnam’s increasingly important role and position in the region and the world as well, and affirmed that the Southeast Asian nation is one of Russia's top priority partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Vietnamese PM held that bilateral economic and trade relations have tended to see a slowdown due to many objective reasons. Although there have been signs of recovery, the ties have yet to be on par with the two sides’ demand and potential.

Both host and guest agreed to actively exchange information to overcome challenges and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods to access the Russian market. They also discussed the potential for new cooperation areas, such as digital transformation, green energy, and infrastructure development.

They also welcomed the opening of a direct air route between Hanoi and Irkutsk in June this year and the recent signing of a protocol amending government agreements on oil and gas cooperation earlier this month.

Volodin agreed with Chinh's proposals on promoting bilateral cooperation, saying that the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, as a legislative body, fully supports the enhancement of collaboration between the two countries in all fields for the benefit of their people.

The two leaders hailed the two countries' cooperation within the multilateral framework, especially at the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the ASEAN - Russia cooperation mechanism. They affirmed that the two countries will maintain close coordination at international forums and organisations, continue to support multilateralism and resolve disputes by peaceful means based on international law.

Chinh also highly appreciated the Russian side, including the Federal Assembly, for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live, study, and work stably in Russia. He called on Russian authorities to continue assisting the Vietnamese community in Russia to promote their role as a bridge connecting the two peoples, contributing to fostering the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

On this occasion, Chinh asked Volodin to convey his regards to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Parliaments determined to beef up Vietnam – Russia comprehensive strategic partnership

The National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam and the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation reaffirmed their determination to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia during the second meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee between the two parliaments on October 16 in Hanoi.

At the meeting co-chaired by NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and visiting Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin, the two sides heard a report on economic, trade, scientific, and technical collaboration between the two nations presented by the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation’s Vietnam sub-committee.

Delegates discussed and assessed the implementation of cooperation agreements between Vietnam and Russia, and shared experience related to the promulgation of policies and laws to promote cooperation in terms of politics, economy, trade, investment, energy, transportation, finance and banking, science-technology, digital transformation, information-communication, education-training, culture, and tourism.

The two sides affirmed the crucial role of parliamentary cooperation in strengthening and advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia.

They agreed to work closely at international and regional forums; and consider coordinating in monitoring and promoting the implementation of cooperation agreements signed between the two countries.

The two legislative bodies reached an agreement on enhancing the exchange of information, policies, and laws related to the digital economy, development and management of cyberspace, and high technology.

The top legislators acknowledged cooperation results between Vietnam and Russia in recent times, while valuing the practical and effective agenda of the meeting.  

The Russian legislative leader took the occasion to invite Chairman Hue to pay an official visit to Russia and co-chair the third meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.

New bridges to bring smoother traffic to Mekong Delta

The name ‘Cuu Long’ (Nine Dragons) for the section of the Mekong River passing VN shows a beneficial part of water traffic to residents in the Mekong Delta. The to-be bridges over main rivers here are expected to further boost transport in the area.

Around 23 years ago on May 21, 2000, thousands of inhabitants in the Mekong Delta eagerly joined in the opening ceremony of My Thuan Bridge – the first cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam – to connect the two provinces of Tien Giang and Vinh Long. Their excitement came from the fact that they no longer had to wait hours just for the ferry to cross Tien River, and thus greatly reducing their journey time.

10 years later on April 24, 2010, Can Tho Bridge – the cable stayed bridge with the longest main span in Southeast Asia – crossing Hau River came into operation. That was the last major bridge on the route of National Highway No.1, the most important traffic route in Vietnam. Thanks to both bridges, the trip from HCMC to Can Tho City – the capital of the Southwest or Mekong Delta region – became smoother and quicker.

The recent main connection ceremony of My Thuan 2 Bridge also brought about great pride and eagerness to residents in the Mekong Delta as congestion will be significantly reduced. As a result, produce transportation will be more convenient and cost-efficient.

Yesterday, the groundbreaking ceremony for Dai Ngai Bridge to connect Tra Vinh Province and Soc Trang Province was launched, bringing much hope of easier traffic to local people. Chairman Le Van Han of the Tra Vinh Province People’s Committee said that this is the last major bridge on National Highway No.60 besides Rach Mieu Bridge, Ham Luong Bridge, and Co Chien Bridge.

When completed, the new bridge will increase the traffic capacity to the Mekong Delta thanks to better connections from HCMC to coastal areas in the South of the country. In fact, the bridge can shorten 80km from HCMC to the provinces of Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, and Tra Vinh compared to the traditional National Highway No.1.

In Ca Mau Province, a highly awaited bridge crossing Ong Doc River is nearly finished. Nguyen Phuoc Tien from Song Doc Town of Tran Van Thoi District shared that each day he has to cross the river thrice for work. Using the ferry is rather expensive and time-consuming. He is counting day by day for the bridge to go into operation to release him and other similar people from this burden. On the construction site, over 100 engineers and workers are working hard day and night to finish the project on schedule this November and open to the public at the end of this year as planned.

Rach Mieu 2 Bridge is the construction work that both the political system and local residents in Ben Tre Province put high expectations on as the current Rach Mieu Bridge is frequently congested due to overloading. Starting in 2022, the building work has always attracted much attention of dwellers in the provinces of Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, and Soc Trang in hope of faster and smoother traffic.

Chairman of the Ben Tre Province People’s Committee Tran Ngoc Tam stated that many industrial parks have been planned to take good advantage of key traffic facilities (Rach Mieu Bridge, Ham Luong Bridge, and the to-be Rach Mieu 2 Bridge). Ben Tre Province has proposed the planning of 5,300ha for new urban areas, industrial parks, green agriculture sites, and tourist attractions along both sides of the route leading to Rach Mieu 2 Bridge.

Before this, the province also built various industrial parks along National Highway No.60 such as Giao Long Industrial Park (100ha), An Hiep Industrial Park (72ha). In the future, there will be another industrial park named Phu Thuan with 231ha. The total investment comes to VND2.13 trillion (US$86.9 million).

Chairman Lam Minh Thanh of the Kien Giang Province People’s Committee shared that his province has just approved a comprehensive project for socio-economic infrastructure growth, with a strong focus on traffic improvement to better link to An Giang Province, Can Tho City, Hau Giang Province, Long An Province, and HCMC.

Accordingly, the Lo Te – Rach Soi Expressway will be covered with hot-mix asphalt concrete. The provincial coastal routes and N1 Street from Giang Thanh District to An Giang Province will also be upgraded. When the traffic is more convenient, businesses will pour more investments in the Southwest region to create millions of job openings for local people. There will be no need of migration for work anymore.

Specific measures needed to improve welfare for women in vulnerable groups

While social welfare policies have taken into account gender equality, experts said that the actual benefits delivered to women, particularly those in vulnerable groups, still have numerous shortcomings.

They include women of ethnic minorities, those with disabilities, as well as migrants and senior citizens.

Hà Thị Nga, chairwoman of the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU), said that the migration of female workers in the southern region remained complicated.

Due to the gaps in living standards and employment opportunities, most of the workforce had been moving from the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta to the southeastern region, which has a high urbanisation rate and multiple industrial zones such as HCM City, Bình Dương and Đồng Nai provinces.

These migration flows led to multiple social issues, particularly regarding migrant women’s access to development policies at their destination, said Nga.

According to policies, migrant women are granted the most access to daily life essentials, such as accommodation, electricity, water and emergency support in case of accidents, robbery or violence.

They also benefit from health insurance and health care policies.

However, in reality, more than 37 per cent of them receive no support, according to Nga. The situation is worse among migrant women in poverty and the informal economy, working unstable jobs such as street vendors, lottery ticket sellers and seasonal workers.

These figures revealed their limited access to policies that can benefit them.

The government has also promulgated multiple policies related to health care, employment and culture that ensure the rights and policy accessibility of senior citizens.

However, in addition to the lack of special policies for elder women, senior citizens’ access to these benefits and services remains limited.

The VWU chairwoman said that existing and new social issues were affecting social policy implementation for groups of vulnerable women, such as the lack of employment, livelihoods, accommodation and social welfare at the local level, the ongoing effects of the pandemic; and cases of violence towards women and elder people.

This was due to the generic action plans and unclear solutions in several localities, while communication activities and awareness of laws related to women were modest, she said.

Construction of expressway network in Mekong Delta needs acceleration

The speed of completing expressways in the Mekong Delta is still slower than the growth rate of vehicles on all ways in this region, leading to serious congestion and traffic unsafety.

According to the road network planning in the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister, the Mekong Delta has 6 expressways for a length of over 1,100km and a width to accommodate 4 – 6 lanes.

One of the expressways to run horizontally is Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang in the South of Hau River (with a total length of nearly 190km and an investment of VND44.7 trillion, equivalent to US$1.83 billion). Construction has recently started.

The second expressway is Hong Ngu – Tra Vinh in the North of Hau River (with a total length of 188km). it has three sections of Dinh Ba – Cao Lanh, Cao Lanh – An Huu, and An Huu – Tra Vinh. Only the second one has its construction start, using the state budget. The other two will receive investment after 2030.

The third is the Ha Tien – Rach Gia – Bac Lieu Expressway, whose pre-feasibility report is being prepared by the Management Board of My Thuan Project. The investment of the Rach Gia – Bac Lieu section will not come until 2030.

Running vertically are three expressways, the first being the 245-kilometer East side of the North – South Expressway (from Long An Province to Ca Mau Province). The section of Trung Luong – My Thuan with 4 lanes and no emergency lane has come into operation after 13 years of construction. Only after a few month, it has shown signs of overloading. Deo Ca Group JSC. has just proposed to expand it along with its neighboring route of HCMC – Trung Luong under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to have 6 lanes and 2 emergency lanes. The construction is expected to finish in 2027.

The next section of this expressway is My Thuan – Can Tho to be completed at the end of this year, and the last is Can Tho – Ca Mau, with a length of 110km. The latter started at the beginning of 2023 but is 3 months behind schedule due to a lack of construction sand.

The second route is the 180-kilometer West side of the North – South Expressway. The sections of Cao Lanh – Lo Te and Lo Te – Rach Soi are nearly 29km long and 52km long respectively. They are to maintain their own road scale. Only the frontage road system is built, while intersections points and asphalt concrete mats on the road surface are improved to meet the expressway standards. These projects will begin this quarter to complete next year. The section of My An – Cao Lanh with a length of 26km will start at the beginning of next year.

The last expressway is from HCMC – Tien Giang – Ben Tre – Tra Vinh – Soc Trang to reduce the traffic load for the HCMC – Trung Luong one. It is 150km long and will finish after 2030.

Statistics from the Construction Investment Management Department (Ministry of Transport) reveal that until now, the road network in the Mekong Delta has been greatly improved with about 187km of expressways, 2,700km of national highways, and 4,600km of provincial highways. Main areas in the region are linked to this network. However, the proportion of 4-lane roads is only about 13 percent, and the road surface quality is average (65.4 percent).

There are now 8 construction projects for 463km of expressways, attracting an investment amount of VND94.4 trillion ($3.86 billion). They will basically be completed in 2026. Nevertheless, at present, there are still problems in land clearance, ground leveling material, and cost increase that need addressing and reapproval of investment policy. This might increase the working time of the projects.

Experts in the field commented that the tardiness of these projects makes it impossible to simultaneously operate all expressways in the Mekong Delta, and thus congestion might still happen in both the West and East routes, especially during national holidays.

Director Le Quyet Tien of the Construction Investment Management Department informed that leaders of the Transport Ministry have urgently come to building sites to address the issues there with the local authorities. The Ministry has also asked that construction units strive to keep the project schedule, or else they will be fined according to the terms of the contract.

As to the planned but not launched projects, Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho said that he has received requests from voters of concerned localities in the Mekong Delta to start the projects soon to serve both daily traffic and goods transport purposes and further socio-economic growth in the region. the mentioned routes include Dinh Ba – Cao Lanh, An Huu – Tra Vinh, Rach Gia – Bac Lieu, HCMC – Tien Giang – Ben Tre – Tra Vinh – Soc Trang.

Yet due to limited investments, the Transport Ministry is unable to start all at the same time. The local authorities should prepare a specific plan to mobilize sufficient capital if they want to launch any such projects in the 2025-2030 period. Only then can the Prime Minister consider and approve the projects sooner.

The Southwest provinces are closely linked to HCMC regarding goods transport, hence congestion happening on gateways to HCMC from these areas is huge trouble to merchandise trading. For instance, the section of National Highway No.1 passing Binh Chanh District of HCMC has only 4 lanes, resulting in continuous traffic jams; the finishing time of the Ben Luc – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway to connect the Southwest and Southeast is not yet available; the connection road from Vo Van Kiet Street to the HCMC – Trung Luong Expressway is temporarily halted. These issues are severely affecting the growth of both HCMC and the Mekong Delta.

Big cities in high need of teachers for bilingual academic programs

Employers have spent a long time looking for teachers who can teach in Vietnamese and English despite increasing demand.
 
Employers take time to look for teachers teaching bilingual academic programs in international schools
Every year, the demand for recruiting bilingual teachers for educational programs implementing both Vietnamese and English languages simultaneously in big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is quite high but recruiters have taken time to look for suitable teachers.

According to Associate Professor Nguyen Dong Hai, an expert in the field of bilingual teacher training, in the past 5 years, the proportion of Vietnamese teachers participating in teaching bilingual programs has been increasing but has not yet captured the market share in bilingual training because teachers are required to not only have high foreign language certificates such as IELTS, TOEIC, TOEFL but also specialized knowledge and pedagogical capacity to meet teaching requirements.

Educationists have pointed out that teachers need 1-2 years of training to have deep and broad professional skills while it only takes 6 months to 1 year to improve foreign language requirements. Therefore, this is a great opportunity for Vietnamese teachers in all majors to participate.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen who has helped the operation of many private school systems in Ho Chi Minh City, said that currently, more Vietnamese parents can afford to pay an amount of VND150 million-VND200 million (US$6,148-US$8,197) per year for their children's education. This tuition fee is much lower than international academic program tuition but is consistent with bilingual programs being taught in international schools or bilingual schools in Vietnam.

Being a recruiter for international schools, this expert highly appreciated Vietnamese teachers’ potential, especially young teachers with many advantages in foreign language skills and access to foreign training programs. However, international schools’ long-term strategy in teacher recruitment is to recruit teachers who can teach international programs, not just Vietnamese subjects in international academic programs.

In addition to the foreign language barrier, many Vietnamese teachers today do not meet the requirements for innovative thinking when teaching international programs. During the interview process, candidates were refused when handling pedagogical situations due to their lack of confidence. Moreover, some teachers failed in interviews because they lack openness, and respect for students' personal abilities because they are influenced by traditional teaching approaches.

According to Ms. Thu Huyen, some teachers with good professional qualifications and foreign language skills do not meet the teaching requirements of international schools.

Over 700 women nationwide join mass Aerobic performance

Over 700 women from clubs and centers of Ho Chi Minh and other cities and provinces nationwide this morning gathered in front of the Saigon Opera House in District 1 to join a mass Aerobic performance.

The event was co-organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports and Ho Chi Minh City Gymnastics Federation responding to the movement “All people exercise their bodies following the example of great Uncle Ho”, promoting the movement "Each woman chooses a favorite sport to practice every day” and marking the 93rd anniversary of Vietnamese Women's Day (October 20).

The mass Aerobic performance contributes to promoting the movement of regular physical exercise in general and improving capacity and health in particular.

Attending the event were Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union (VWU) Trinh Thi Thanh, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy and more than 700 women from clubs and centers of Ho Chi Minh City and provinces Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Tien Giang, Tay Ninh, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, Long An, Can Tho, Da Lat City of Lam Dong Province and Vung Tau City of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province.

On this occasion, the organizers also granted event medals and flowers to the sponsors of the program.

AstraZeneca transfers production technology to Vietnam

The Ministry of Science and Technology has just issued a certificate for British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca's production technology and packaging process transfer to Medochemie Company in Vietnam.

Accordingly, AstraZeneca will send its experts, technology lines, machinery and equipment, technical documents and production and testing processes to Medochemie Company so that drugs produced based on AstraZeneca's transfer of technology in Vietnam have the same standards and quality with AstraZeneca's strict global standards.

President and General Director of AstraZeneca Vietnam Nitin Kapoor said that AstraZeneca is committed to supporting Vietnam in improving medical capacity and developing the domestic pharmaceutical industry; thereby, aiming to help patients to easily access high-quality domestically produced drugs.

Previously, in the ceremony announcing an investment of VND 2,000 billion (US$90 million) by AstraZeneca Group to help Vietnam improve domestic pharmaceutical production capacity, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated AstraZeneca’s long-term investment in Vietnam and affirming that Vietnam will create the best conditions for AstraZeneca to operate in the Southeast Asian country. It is expected that three important generic brand name drug products of AstraZeneca will be produced in Vietnam from technology transfer between 2022 and 2030.

More special mechanisms proposed to speed up national target programs

The Government has proposed the National Assembly allow the application of additional special mechanisms to remove difficulties and obstacles facing national target programs, thus speeding up their progress in the coming time.

The three underway national target programs focus on socio-economic development in ethnic-inhabited and mountainous areas, sustainable poverty reduction, and new-style rural area building.

Minister Dung noted that the allocation and use of resources for the implementation of the programs have been slow at both central and local levels due to many difficulties.

According to the MPI, as of June 2023, over VND1.31 trillion (US$53.56 million ) had been disbursed to the three programs, fulfilling only 5.33 percent of the plan for the year.

Along with promoting the role of Party committees and administrations at all levels in directing, managing and inspecting the implementation of the programs, the official stressed the need for strengthened communications on the Party and State’s policies regarding the implementation of the programs, as well as the reviewing and completion of mechanisms and policies related to the management and realization of the programs.

The minister pointed to the need to finish the national database on the supervision and evaluation of the program’s progress at all levels.

The MPI minister highlighted the significance of the programs and efforts by the administrations from the central to local levels in the implementation process.

However, he said that the work has faced many difficulties due to many reasons, such as some policies no longer suitable to reality and a lack of legal foundations for the implementation of some policies.

Meanwhile, the allocation and use of resources for the implementation of the programs at both central and local levels remain slow, he added.

Health authority urges to tighten management of human organ and tissue donation

Following press articles about kidney trading in some localities, the healthcare authority urges to tighten the management of human organ and tissue donation.

As kidney trading in some localities has been widely reported in the press, the Department of Medical Service Administration under the Ministry of Health yesterday sent an official dispatch to hospitals and health departments of provinces and cities requesting to strengthen inspection and supervision of donation, removal, and transplantation of human tissues and organs to promptly detect violations.

Directors of medical facilities that receive human tissue and organ donations and transplantation have been asked to disseminate regulations to departments, divisions, and staff in facilities to raise people’s responsibility and strict implementation of current legal regulations on the donation and transplantation of human tissues and organs.

 
Moreover, infirmaries should increase the prevention of trading in human tissues and organs; responsible people will be held accountable before the law for any violations.

Vietnamese athletes depart for fourth ASIAN Para Games

The delegation of Vietnamese athletes with disabilities on October 16 departed for the fourth ASIAN Para Games that is taking place in Hangzhou, China from October 22-28.

The Vietnamese sports delegation to the event comprise 71 members, including 48 athletes who will compete in seven sports of track and field, swimming, weightlifting, chess, table tennis, badminton and Taekwondo.

Vietnam’s goal is to win three to four gold medals and to have as many as possible athletes qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

At the seeing-off ceremony at Noi Bai International Airport, Vice Director of the Vietnam Sports Authority Le Thi Hoang Yen expressed her belief that the delegation will show their best performance and achieve best results.

Right after the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia, the sport sector started to prepare for the 4th ASIAN Para Games by selecting and training athletes and providing them with necessary support.

Vietnam bagged a total of 40 medals, including eight gold, eight silver and 24 bronze medals, ranking 12th at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia.

Exhibition on Vietnam in France promotes bilateral friendship

An exhibition on Vietnam was held in Voves city in France’s Eure-et-Loir region on October 14 as part of the annual activities of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association (FVFA).

The “One day in Vietnam” exhibition demonstrated solidarity through practical actions of the FVFA in supporting victims affected by Agent Orange/dioxin and poor people in Vietnam.

On display were artworks, books, paintings, and photos from both Vietnamese and local authors, which cover various themes.

The highlight among the exhibits was the photo book on Vietnam’s islands in the East Sea by Tran Thu Dung, who is co-founder of the club “Love Vietnam's seas and islands” in France.

Dung said this is the first time images of Vietnam's seas and islands have been introduced as part of the activities of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association in Voves.

Through the exhibition, Dung hoped to introduce Vietnam's sovereignty over seas and islands to international friends, particularly French people.

In addition, more than 50 photos by Gérard Nemmi, a member of the FVFA and various paintings by local artists were also exhibited, attracting crowds of visitors.

Vietnamese and local handicraft products were offered for sale at the event to raise funds for charity activities of the association.

Gilbert Tenèze, Chairman of the FVFA’s chapter in Eure-et-Loir, expressed the hope that this fourth event of this kind will help promote mutual understanding and solidarity between the two countries’ people, contributing to promoting the France – Vietnam friendship.

“Vietnamese Bookcase” presented to Swiss students​

The Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT) under the Vietnam National University- HCM City on October 15 hosted a ceremony to present a "Vietnamese Bookcase" and a collection of cultural and historical items from Vietnam to the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW).

The bookcase encompasses a diverse selection of books, magazines, novels, artworks, and iconic Vietnamese items to offer readers comprehensive insights into Vietnam's history, culture, and society, including some translated into English.

The collection comprises four paintings, and six representative items of Vietnam, including ao dai (traditional Vietnamese long dress), ao tu than (four-part dress worn by Vietnamese women in the past), ao ba ba (daily blouse worn by women in southern Vietnam), khan ran (checkered scarf widely use in daily life in southern Vietnam), non la (palm-leaf conical hat), to provide readers with a clearer insight into the art and culture of Vietnam.

The "Vietnamese Bookcase" will be placed in the library of FHNW.

The gift not only helps strengthen educational cooperation between HCMUT and FHNW but also creates a platform for both parties to partake in cultural exchange.

Professor Doctor Andreas Hinz, Director of the MBA programme (Master of Business Administration) of the Swiss university, said that the "Vietnamese Bookcase" is a valuable resource for students of FHNW, in particular, as well as the Swiss people in general when they want to learn about the history and culture of Vietnam.

HCMUT and FHNW have been collaborating for nearly 20 years. The two universities have partnered in offering the MBA-MCI programme as part of their cooperation.

Book on EU’s policies toward Vietnam published

The Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House has recently published a book on the European Union’s policies toward Vietnam co-edited by Dr. Tran Thanh Huyen, Dr. Dao Minh Hong and Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thai Yen Huong.

For Vietnam, the EU is a strategic partner with a significant role on the international stage, covering areas of security, peace, economy and development. With increasing potential and influence after 35 years of renovation and global integration, Vietnam stands as a robust partner of the EU in its capacity as a member of ASEAN, one of the most comprehensive partners in the Asia-Pacific.

The book provides readers with a better understanding of the EU's policy enforcement in ASEAN and Vietnam in particular, thereby shedding light on the cooperative ties between the EU and Vietnam.

It serves as a valuable reference to comprehend the policymaking process and the development of Vietnam-EU relations, and actively supports lectures on EU studies, policies toward and relationships with major countries at academies and universities.

With four chapters, the book delves deep into various aspects of EU policies toward Vietnam, encompassing the influencing factors; the position, role, and distinct characteristics of these policies; an evaluation of the outcomes achieved; as well as the advantages, challenges, and future prospects of the EU policies toward Vietnam.

Via the book, researchers, diplomats, policymakers and readers will gain a more precise understanding of the policies that the EU has been applying to Vietnam.

App on waste sorting, collection launched in Hue

The project “Hue – A City to Reduce Plastics in Central Vietnam” and its partners on October 15 held a ceremony to kick off the implementation of the app MGreen that facilitates the waste classification and collection in Hue city.

The app, a prize winner at a contest to seek initiatives to reduce plastic waste in Hue in 2023, connects scrap sellers and collectors. The sellers sort their waste and book a waste collector via the app for collecting the waste at home. They can also take the waste to designated collection sites. Based on the amount of waste, they will earn points which can be used to exchange or buy products/services on the app.

Hoang Ngoc Tuong Van, the project manager said that from September 2022, World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF Vietnam) supported and coordinated with Hue city People’s Committee to implement a programme on classifying solid waste in the city.

The use of the app MGreen is the next step that the project takes to promote the habit of waste classification in households, which expectedly helps the city become cleaner and greener.

Director of MAGreen Social Services Joint Stock Company Tran Thi Thoa said that the company connects with waste-collecting groups in the city. It also cooperates with over 100 local stores and supermarkets so that app users can use their points in shopping.

The app is easy to install, simple to use, and is expected to be widely accepted, contributing to the city's strategy of building a green and smart urban area, she said.

Vietnam, Brazil seek to boost justice cooperation

A Vietnamese delegation led by Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Nguyen Hoa Binh paid a working visit to Brazil from October 9-15.

The trip aimed to further strengthen cooperation between legal and judicial agencies in general, and court systems in particular of the two nations.

The two sides also shared knowledge and experience in the fields of juvenile justice; and organisation, management, and information technology application within the court system.

The Vietnamese delegation had a working session with representatives from the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories (TJDFT) in Brazil.

Binh affirmed that cooperation between Vietnam and Brazil is growing strongly in politics, economics and society, posing requirements to further strengthen justice cooperation between the two countries.

He provided overall information about Vietnam's legal reform strategy and mentioned areas of interest of the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam.

Deputy Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil Edson Fachin said Vietnam is the top partner of the Latin American nation in Southeast Asia, affirming that the Brazilian court is committed to further enhancing ties with the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam in the time to come.

He shared experiences related to the organisation, management, and performance of his agency, the functions and responsibilities of the National Council of Justice (CNJ) of Brazil, and the application of information technology within the country’s court system.

Meanwhile, TJDFT President Judge Jose Cruz Macedo mentioned legal provisions in Brazil related to juvenile justice, and criminal justice policies applied to juvenile offenders.

After Brazil, the Vietnamese delegation will continue to visit Canada.

Food lovers to taste Japanese and Vietnamese street foods at Hanoi festival

Food lovers will have the chance to sample Japanese and Vietnamese street foods at “Japan-Vietnam Street Food Harmony” to be held on November 12 as part of the Hanoi Japan Festival 2023 that marks half a century of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Japan.

According to the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, three Vietnamese and three Japanese chefs will participate in the event.
  
Each chef will introduce two new dishes which are a Vietnamese-Japanese fusion to demonstrate the friendship that exists between the two countries.

The organisers will launch a vote for these dishes by six chefs of both countries at the https://jp-culinaryfes.vn website.

The most popular food which combines the culinary cultures of the two nations created by famous chefs will be announced on November 12.

Chef Shinobu Ito, a researcher of Vietnamese cuisine in Japan, will bring two dishes made from ingredients used in daily life, including Okonomiyaki-flavored grilled rice paper and grilled rice balls with fish sauce taste.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese chefs Huynh Thanh Lam and Nguyen Ba Phuoc will introduce popular local street food combined with Japanese flavours.

In mid-November, the organisers will also give out free e-books with recipes for these six dishes, along with chefs' instructions on how to cook them.

The Hanoi Japan Festival 2023 is scheduled to take place on November 12 and will feature many cultural, culinary, and music activities.

Vietnamese players practice hard ahead of FIDA Days friendly in RoK

The Vietnamese men’s national football team took part in their first training session in the Republic of Korea (RoK) on October 15 in preparation for a friendly match with the host team during the upcoming FIFA Days.

After arriving in Suwon, coach Philippe Troussier’s players had warm-up exercises in the playground of Suwon Samsung Bluewings FC in preparation for the upcoming friendly match.
  
Midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai did not join his teammates in the RoK this time as the veteran player suffered an injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly match against Uzbekistan on October 13.

On October 16 evening, the Vietnamese team will hold another training session to get used to the Suwon World Cup stadium, the venue for the friendly against the Korean side.

This match will wrap up a series of friendlies during the FIFA Days ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers which will be played this November.

The national squad headed by coach Troussier trounced Hong Kong (China), Syria, and Palestine, but accepted defeats to China and Uzbekistan.

The Vietnamese players are scheduled to compete in World Cup qualifiers from mid-November 2023 to June 2024.

Vietnam have been drawn in Group F alongside the Philippines, Iraq, and the winners of the upcoming play-off match between Indonesia and Brunei. They will take on the Philippines in the opening game on November 16.

3F Galaxy win first Vietnam Pro-Am Basketball Championship

3F Galaxy lifted the first Vietnam Pro-Am Basketball Championship 2023 Brought by VNPAY trophy at the Cầu Giấy Gymnasium on October 15 in Hà Nội.

The 3F, reigning champion of the Hanoi Basketball Championship, beat Next Level, winners of the Saigon Basketball Championship, 81-60 in a thrilling Grand Finale watched by 2,000 crazy supporters from both sides.

The two teams previously met each other last week in the group stages with 3F winning 94-59.

In the final, the 3F stuck with in-form Joshua Keyes, Tâm Đinh and Nguyễn Huỳnh Phú Vinh who were the stars of the Vietnam Basketball Association league which ended late September.

Next Level welcomed back veteran Justin Young who teamed up with Stefan Nguyễn Tuấn Tú, Michael Soy and Vincent Nguyễn in search of revenge in the final.

The 3F proved their strength right in the first quarter when they quickly took the first points and created a big gap with the Level, leading 20-11.

The second quarter saw the Level came back strongly. Caleb Nguyễn, Vincent and Stefan brought the crowd to their feet with perfect three-pointers. They gradually narrowed the gap and went ahead at 27-24 at the 4.13min mark.

However Keyes and Vinh did not let them enjoy their happiness long. The duo rotated to score and seized the lead back. At the break it was 36-31 for the 3F.

Returning to the court, the Level could not find a solution to the 3F's storming attacks. Despite their strong efforts, the Level could not catch up with the 3F's pace and lost 43-56 in the third quarter.

As the clock ticked, the 3F totally dominated the game and running out 81-60 winners.

Keyes was voted MVP and received a VNĐ20 million bonus as he made up double-double of 29 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists.

The 3F recorded a unbeaten tournament to win the trophy and a VNĐ140 million cash prize.

The Level came second with VNĐ70 million and Phòng Không Không Quân were third, earning VNĐ40 million.

The championship, which saw eight amateur teams competing in the double-elimination format, was co-organised by New Sports and VTVcab under Hà Nội's Culture and Sports Department.

Organisers expected to create a playground with a professional-organised model and a new, attractive format for athletes. Meanwhile, it was expected to combine sports and entertainment in one, contributing to spreading and promoting basketball culture to the public.

In addition, the organisers also hoped to discover new talent to supplement professional teams and clubs participating in national and international tournaments. 

Hanoi residents face water shortages

Hundreds of households in the Thanh Ha Urban Area in Hanoi's Thanh Oai District are facing water shortages as the service provider has failed to ensure supplies.

Many people in the area queued for hours to wait for water from neighbouring blocks late on Sunday night after their block experienced water cuts since the afternoon.

Thanh Ha Urban Area has 23 apartment blocks with some 16,000 residents. Since early October, many residents have complained about the heavy ammonia smell in tap water. Some people started having skin problems while their pet fish started to die. Test results from local authorities showed that the water had an ammonia content 38 times higher than what is considered safe, and the chlorine levels were over ten times higher than safe levels.

According to the water provider, Thanh Ha Water Company, due to a shortage of source water, they had to use water from drilled wells. Due to the large amount of water they had to supply, they have been unable to treat the water properly.

Following a meeting held on October 14 with local authorities and the investor of the urban area, the company temporarily cut the supply of water treated from drilled wells while improving their treatment process, which has led to many households having no water for daily use.

A local resident, Tran Van Ha, said that they had to buy purified water for drinking and cooking after finding that the tap water was contaminated over the past two weeks.

"Now we don't have any water to wash with," he said. "We're having to take bottles and containers out to ask for water from neighbouring areas for use. I hope that the problem will be fixed as soon as possible," he said.

The Hanoi Department of Construction has asked the Hanoi Water Company to urgently help Thanh Ha Water Company to provide some 2,000 m3 of water a day and night for the Thanh Ha Urban Area.

In the meantime, Thanh Ha Water Company has been asked to fix their water treatment facilities within three months to ensure quality water supply for local residents.

Gov't issues plan to implement Law on electronic transactions

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has signed a decision approving a plan to implement the Law on electronic transactions.

The law, adopted by the National Assembly at its 5th session, is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2024.

The plan encompasses specific duties of each ministry, agency, and locality; time required for them to complete their duties; and coordination mechanisms in the implementation of the Law on electronic transactions.

Relevant ministries, agencies and localities have to adopt concrete roadmaps for the full and comprehensive implementation of the law.

The Ministry of Information and Communications was assigned to review legal regulations related to the Law and report the review outcomes to the Prime Minister.

Other ministries, agencies, and localities were tasked to review their legal regulations related to the law and report to the Ministry of Information and Communications for synthesis in May 2024.

The aforesaid review process must be completed in August 2024.

The Law on electronic transactions, with eight chapters and 53 articles, aims to create a complete and favorable legal framework for transforming from physical activities to the digital environment in all sectors.

The law also recognizes that electronic transactions have the same legal value as physical transactions.

Over 300 children paint to show love for Hanoi

More than 300 children today [October 14] joined a painting contest themed “I love Hanoi – City for Peace” on the 69th anniversary of the Capital’s Liberation Day (October 10, 1954).

Held at Trinh Cong Son Walking Street in Tay Ho District, Hanoi, the candidates aged from 6 to 15 are Vietnamese and international ones of different nationalities such as India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, the Philippines, Turkey.  

The international children, who are from the embassies and international schools in Hanoi, were eager to participate in the event, which is aimed to promote Hanoi, a thousand-year-old city, and foster their love for the nation, peace, and the world as a whole.

It would help inspire children’s passion for painting and art creativity as “Peace is extremely sacred and brings joy to all of humanity,” Tran Thi Phuong, Vice Head of the Hanoi Federation of Friendship Associations, said at the contest.

“We, the citizens of Hanoi, will work together with friends from all over the world, beginning with the preschools, to maintain the honorable designation given by UNESCO as a ‘City for Peace’,” she emphasized.

At the contest, candidates are free to paint. They can draw about subjects that interest them, such as people and life, peace, love for their country or for Hanoi, beautiful nature, protecting the environment, and combating diseases, wars, and poverty.

Park Eun Seo at Horizon International Bilingual School, who came to Vietnam from South Korea, said: “Hanoi, for me, is a vibrant and energetic city, but I also find that people there appreciate life, nature, other people, and peace. I can express my love for Hanoi and my appreciation for the friendly welcome and joyful smiles I always receive from the people of Hanoi through the contest.”  

Alexandra, a Russian mother, said that the contest is a wonderful idea helping her child show her love for the city where she lives.

She said she encouraged her kids to take part in the competition to help them adjust to living here. “My spouse and I enjoy exploring new places and getting to know locals from various cultures. Sofia, who was born in Vietnam, once resided abroad. However, we have chosen to bring our child back to Vietnam because we want to give her a secure environment to grow. We intend to remain here for a very long time.”

Children had 90 minutes to complete the drawing test. On A3 paper, paintings are created using specific colors like watercolor, wax, gouache, oil paint, felt pen, and crayons.

Paintings are judged using the following criteria: appropriate subject, concise message, conveying the contest's meaning, aesthetically pleasing picture layout, stunning and impressive color scheme, and creativity.

Artist Nguyen Xuan Thuy, Chairman of the Hanoi Fine Arts Association and Head of the Jury praised the paintings’ high quality and creativity in assessing this year’s contest. It’s like taking a look at Hanoi – City for Peace through the eyes of children.

The jury selected 56 paintings to be awarded, including one first prize, five second prizes, 10 third prizes, 20 consolidation prizes, and 20 other prizes of different criteria. 

More than 300 athletes to attend AISA Games

The Australian Association of International Schools Games (AISA Games) will be held at the Australian International School (AIS) in HCM City from November 16-18 with the participation of more than 300 athletes.

Students from five countries and territories including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong (China) and Việt Nam will compete in football, baseball, handball, diving and rugby. 

Jon Standen, Principal of the Australian International School (Ho Chi Minh City), shared that organizing a large-scale sports festival like the AISA Games after a four-year hiatus shows a dedication and commitment to creating a school that is not only a place for learning, but also a place for children to explore and promote their personal interests and passions, including sports.

To do this, AIS always invests in sports facilities. Conditions of the outdoor soccer field, basketball court, and swimming pool meet international standards for high-class competitions for students of all ages.

Matt Washer, Sports Director of AIS, said that the quality of athletes at the AISA Games has continuously improved over the years, evidenced by the fact that many of the young athletes have continued high achievements in world-class competitions for students.

He added that all rules and competition conditions of AISA Games are guaranteed to be professional and comply with the standards of international sports federations.

Vietnam-Algeria Inter-Governmental Committee convenes 12th meeting

Vietnamese Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi and Algerian Minister of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production Ali Aoun co-chaired the 12th meeting of the Vietnam-Algeria Inter-Governmental Committee which opened in Hanoi on October 16.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nghi described Algeria as a major partner and the fourth largest export market of Vietnam in Africa. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, two-way trade between Vietnam and Algeria reached only 144.2 million USD in 2022, 141 million USD of which was Vietnam’s exports.

Cooperation in the oil and gas sector is a bright spot of bilateral economic ties. The joint venture for oil and gas exploration and exploitation in Algeria between Petrovietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP) and its partners Sonatrach Algeria and PTTEP Thailand is progressing effectively, with plans to continue with the second phase.

Progress has also been seen in collaboration in agriculture, aquaculture, information technology, tourism, and other fields. In addition to coordination between ministries and departments, the signing of agreements and twinned relations between Vietnam's Dien Bien province and Algeria's Batna province in August 2023 has contributed to the diversification of cooperation between the two countries.

Nghi suggested the two sides focus on reaching consensus on key areas such as trade in agricultural and consumer goods, oil and gas, agriculture, information technology, tourism, construction, and more.

Regarding new cooperation proposals, the Vietnamese side received draft agreements from Algeria in the fields of healthcare, education, vocational training, tourism, sports, energy, and investment. Vietnamese ministries and agencies will discuss with their Algerian counterparts during the meeting to determine the potential cooperation areas of shared interest, with the aim of signing cooperation agreements at an appropriate time, he said.

Aoun highlighted the mutually beneficial nature of cooperation between the two countries, describing Vietnam as an important economic partner of Algeria in Asia.

Algeria wishes to continue developing its economic ties with Vietnam by strengthening economic and trade cooperation, fostering trade exchange and exploring new investment projects, he said.

He added that the meeting will provide a platform for ministries and agencies from the two countries to share ideas, propose solutions and necessary resources to advance and diversify bilateral collaboration activities.

The meeting is scheduled to last till October 18.

43rd World Food Day observed in Vietnam

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Vietnam on October 16 joined hands to mark the 43rd World Food Day (WFD), the 78th anniversary of the FAO and the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-FAO cooperation.

The theme of this year’s World Food Day is ‘Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind’, with the goal of raising global awareness on the importance of managing water wisely. This initiative is critical as the availability of this precious resource is threatened by rapid population growth, urbanisation, economic development, and the impacts of the climate change.

Nguyen Hoang Hiep, MARD Deputy Minister, said that water is a driving force for people, economies and nature and the foundation of food. Indeed, agriculture accounts for 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, but like all natural resources, fresh water is not infinite. Therefore, partnerships are crucial to achieving sustainable water management and advancing progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to him, Vietnam is an agricultural country with tens of millions of people relying on freshwater sources for their livelihoods. In the country, along with a quite complete legal system, water infrastructure systems are rather synchronously built and developed for management, exploitation and use of water resources for socio-economic development and prevention and control of floods, inundation and other water-related harmful effects.

Vietnam is facing many different forms of water scarcity – too little, too much, poor quality and overuse. In response to these challenges, the Politburo issued Conclusion No.36-KL/TW dated June 2022 on ensuring water security and safety of dams and reservoirs by 2030, with a vision to 2045, shared Hiep.

Sustainable integrated water resources management is a key point in Vietnam, leveraging water-related initiatives to support agrifood systems transformation and achievement of the SDGs.

FAO is working with Vienam and other countries on implementing key points of the UN’s Water Action Agenda relating to National Water Roadmaps, water tenures, drought risk management, water data, and evaporation monitoring. This agenda is part of the 2023 UN Water Conference, which FAO plays a central role in.

“All of us need to value water, the food it produces, and the planet it nourishes”, said Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Vietnam.

Achievement of agriculture-related SDGs is also one of the key features of FAO’s work in Vietnam that builds on the solid foundations set during the 45 years of FAO engagement in the country. Having entered the country since 1978, FAO is a key partner and main contributor of technical assistance in agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors in the country.

Vietnam, Italy beef up law enforcement cooperation

Minister of Public Security To Lam highlighted increasingly strengthened cooperation between the ministry and Italian law enforcement agencies in security and crime prevention while hosting new Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Marco Della Seta in Hanoi on October 16.

In July, the two sides signed the extradition agreement and an agreement on the transfer of convicted persons. The Vietnamese ministry has sent many officials to participate in training courses organised by Italy and attend peacekeeping training courses sponsored by the Italian government.

To further promote the bilateral collaboration in the future, Lam suggested both sides continue to support and assist each other at multilateral forums and international organisations in which they participate, especially concerning non-traditional security threats and cybersecurity.

They should increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, share operational experience and information, collaborate on investigations in various areas of crime prevention, and effectively implement their signed cooperation agreements, he noted.

He recommended the sides work towards signing a letter of intent to establish a joint committee to promote cooperation in crime prevention between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Italian Ministry of the Interior and an agreement on mutual protection and exchange of classified information. Furthermore, they should explore the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding on information exchange concerning immigration and border control to improve their legal framework for bilateral cooperation.

The minister proposed Italy continue to support the ministry in personnel training and capacity building, and promote technology transfer for Vietnam’s law enforcement agencies.

For his part, the ambassador affirmed that in his capacity, he will make every effort to nurture the development of a strong and cooperative relationship between the nations. He said he supports and will act as a bridge to expand even more effective cooperation between the ministry and Italian law enforcement agencies to ensure national security and prosperity of each country.

Vietnam, Japan exchange experience in maritime management

The Vietnam Agency of Seas and Islands (VASI) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the National Ocean Policy Secretariat at the Cabinet Office of Japan held their first-ever direct dialogue in Hanoi on October 16.

The event aimed to materialise the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in sea and ocean policy between the MoNRE and the Japanese Cabinet Office signed on October 8, 2018 as part of the visit to Japan by the Vietnamese Prime Minister.

VASI Director Nguyen Duc Toan stressed that the exchange of experience in maritime policy and strategy holds theoretical and practical significance for Vietnam.

The 2023 Vietnam-Japan Ocean Dialogue offers an opportunity for the two sides to share their views and experience in maritime management, he said, adding that its outcomes will contribute to strengthening connectivity and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in general and between the VASI and the National Ocean Policy Secretariat in particular.

Participants looked into reports on Vietnam’s sea-related policies and laws, including those on maritime economic development, other issues like obstacles to offshore wind power study, and marine pollution prevention and control, along with Japan’s blue economy.

Notably, they discussed cooperation orientations between the two sides by 2025 with a vision towards 2030.

Ministry inspects IUU, disaster prevention in Phu Yen

 A delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, led by Minister Le Minh Hoan, had a working trip on October 15 and 16 to the south-central coastal province of Phu Yen to inspect the local prevention of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and disasters.

Commending the province’s efforts that resulted in the report of no cases of illegal fishing between 2019 and now, Hoan suggested it continue to encourage fishermen to comply with the 2017 fisheries law.

Regarding the development of fisheries trade unions, the minister emphasised a need to reorganise the local production model by changing fisheries management and placing local fishermen at the centre of activities.

Nguyen Tri Phuong, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said all local fishing vessels that are 15 metres or longer and operate in offshore areas have installed tracking devices, with the origin of aquatic products traced in accordance with regulations.

Phu Yen has so far established five fisheries trade unions, one high-tech tuna fishing cooperative, and 119 fishing teams at sea participated by nearly 1,000 vessels.

The minister also inspected the coastal erosion site in An Chan commune, Tuy An district, requesting that the local authorities take immediate measures to ensure the safety of people's life and property during the rainy season.

He toured various agricultural development models in the province and attended a training course to update knowledge on sustainable agricultural and rural development for local leaders and officials.

Deputy PM inspects construction of Long Thanh airport

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on October 16 made a field trip to the construction site of Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai.

At a working session with relevant sides on the day, Ha suggested them launch emulation movements, focusing on ensuring the progress, safety and quality of the project.

Stressing the importance of the airport, the official asked its investor – Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) – to step up its management and select prestigious and capable contractors.

Dong Nai province needs to hold working sessions with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment soon in order remove obstacles, and complete the compensation and resettlement work, he went on.

The Deputy PM was reported on the project’s progress by the ACV and the People’s Committee of Dong Nai.

Over the past eight months, Dong Nai handed all 2,532 hectares of land earmarked for the first phase to the investor, and the handover of the remainder is expected to be completed late October, according to the committee. 

Long Thanh airport, to become Vietnam's largest, is budgeted to cost around 336.63 trillion VND (13.75 billion USD). Its construction is divided into three phases.

In the first phase, a runway and one passenger terminal along with other supporting facilities will be built at a cost of 109.1 trillion VND to serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo each year.

Once fully completed by 2050, the airport will be able to handle 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo annually.

Located 40km east of Ho Chi Minh City, it is expected to relieve overloading at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, currently the country’s largest, in the southern metropolis.

Mỹ Đức Hospital in HCM City to provide free IVF treatments in November

Mỹ Đức Hospital’s annual charity programme Ươm Mầm Hạnh Phúc (Nurturing Happiness) in HCM City will provide free IVF treatment to 100 couples starting November 16.

The programme will accept applications for free IVF treatment from October 16 to 31.

Couples can download registration forms and criteria for being chosen to get the free IVF treatment at Mỹ Đức website https://ivfmd.vn/ and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IVFMD.Vietnam/

This programme is an initiative by Professor Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Phượng, former director of Từ Dũ Obstetrics Hospital in HCM City and the first doctor in Việt Nam to offer fertility treatment in which embryos are introduced directly into the uterus, called in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

“It aims to help couples’ dream of being parents come true, especially those facing financial pressure,” she said.

In 2022, 46 out of 79 chosen couples became pregnant while the rest have returned to the IVF Mỹ Đức health facilities to continue the treatment and receive embryos.

So far, nearly 500 infertile couples have benefited from the programme since it first launched in 2014. 

Heavy rains stop Ly Son Island speedboat service

The speedboat service linking Sa Ky Port to Ly Son Island in the central province of Quang Ngai has been suspended amid ongoing torrential rain. 

Many localities in Vietnam’s central region, including Quang Ngai, are struggling with heavy rains. In the next 24 hours, Ly Son Island would continue experiencing rain with strong winds. To ensure safety, Quang Ngai Port Management and Inland Waterway Port Authority have called for the halting of the Sa Ky-Ly Son speedboat service.

The route currently runs four times daily, using eight high-speed boats.

The Sa Ky-Ly Son high-speed boat service was launched in July. Each boat can carry nearly 300 passengers and complete the route in just 35 minutes.

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