Vietnam climbed two places from the 117 out of the 189 countries in 2019 to the 115 out of the 191 countries in 2021 in the global 2021/22 Human Development Report (HDR) freshly released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The country’s Human Development Index (HDI) value of 0.703 in 2021 was essentially unchanged from the 0.704 in 2019.

According to the UNDP, unlike most of the developing countries, Vietnam managed to sustain economic growth during the most difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the average pace of growth slowed, and vulnerable groups and individuals suffered periods of real hardship, a major reversal of human development progress was avoided.

Vietnam has been a member of the High Human Development Group since 2019. The HDI combines gross national income per capita, life expectancy at birth and mean and expected years of schooling into a single index to provide a generalized measure of human development.

The nation has seen steady progress in all three dimensions of the HDI since the 1990s. The rate of increase in the HDI has slowed over the past decade, mainly because it is now a richer country with relatively high levels of life expectancy and educational attainment for its level of income.

Vietnam’s Gender Inequality Index, which measures the loss of human development due to inequality between males and females, continued to improve in 2021. Its GII was 0.296, giving the country a ranking of 71 out of the 170 countries. GII considered reproductive health, empowerment and labor force participation. The country performs well in terms of maternal mortality, education of girls and female labour force participation, but representation of women in the parliament remains low.

UNDP also noted that there will be many challenges for Vietnam in the coming time. Climate change is the biggest one. It is anticipated to displace people and their livelihoods, seriously affecting the level of human development in areas that are most vulnerable to climate change.

Vietnam willing to address issues of mutual concern with EU

Vietnam is willing to have open and frank exchanges with the European Union (EU) and the European parliament (EP) on issues of which both sides still have different views, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue told a visiting EP official in Hanoi on September 8.

Receiving Bernd Lange, chairman of the EP Committee on International Trade (INTA), Hue welcomed the EP official’s visit which he said was taking place at a time when the relations between Vietnam and the EU are progressing well across all fields, from diplomacy, politics, security and defense to economy, trade, investment.

Especially, he said the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), after two years of implementation has brought about practical benefits for both parties. Despite the heavy impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions globally, the economic and trade relations between Vietnam and the EU have grown very well.

Although the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) has only been ratified by 12 EU member countries and has yet to come into force, more and more large EU investors have been keen to invest in Vietnam, he noted.

Hue thanked the INTA and Chairman Bernd Lange personally for their contributions to EVFTA negotiations, ratification and implementation, and said Lange’s visit represents a chance for both sides to re-evaluate the trade pact’s progress and work out solutions to maximize the benefits of the agreement as well as to promote the ratification of the EVIPA.

For his part, INTA Chairman Bernd Lange affirmed that the EVFTA is a solid foundation for the EU-Vietnam relations at present and in the future. Past statistics show the trade pact has produced a positive impact, helping boost post-pandemic economic growth of both sides.

He also said EU countries want to promote cooperative relations with reliable partners, including Vietnam, and hoped they all ratify the EVIPA as soon as possible to bring about mutual benefits.

The EU and Vietnam have established effective and close relations reflected in a number of signed agreements and new cooperation frameworks under negotiations in the areas such as renewable energy, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and green infrastructure development, said Lange.

Concurring with the INTA Chairman’s comments, the Vietnamese legislative leader suggested that the INTA and Chairman Lange continue to support the implementation of the EVFTA and promote the early ratification of the EVIPA by EU member states.

Vietnam and the National Assembly of Vietnam are ready to cooperate with the EU and the EP in the implementation of these two important agreements, he said.

Hue suggested that the EU support Vietnam in meeting COP26 commitments, undertaking climate change adaptation programmes, and realising its digital transformation goal.  

He also suggested that both sides regularly meet and promptly solve problems in import and export of goods, especially agro-forestry and fishery products.

Vietnam is aggressively implementing international commitments and recommendations of the European Commission on fishing, but this requires a roadmap and support as well as cooperation of international partners, including the EU, he said.

He requested that the EU continue to deploy working groups to directly assess the implementation process to soon remove the yellow card warning for Vietnam’s seafood industry.

INTA Chairman Lange welcomed Vietnam’s goodwill, and said the EU and he personally always support Vietnam in matters of international principles and laws as well as in international organizations.

He expressed his belief that with the two sides having the opportunity to strengthen cooperation in the near future, the EU - UK - Vietnam tripartite partnership will soon be deployed to support Vietnam in the fields of renewable energy and green infrastructure development.

Backtrack band from the US perform in Vietnam

US acapella group BackTrack Vocals delivered performances during their Vietnam tour from August 24 to September 6.

Sponsored by the US Mission in Vietnam and American Music Abroad, Backtrack Vocals held public concerts, master classes, and community outreach activities in Danang, An Giang, Can Tho, Ho Chi Minh City, Lao Cai, and Hanoi.

In Danang, Backtrack Vocals joined well-known Vietnamese artists, such as Da LAB, My Anh, Buc Tuong, Kimmese, Brainwave, and more on stage at BridgeFest 2022, a music festival highlighting diversity, inclusion, and social issues in Vietnam.  The festival attracted thousands of attendees both in-person and online.

In the Mekong Delta, Backtrack Vocals also performed for hundreds of students at An Giang and Can Tho universities. Additionally, in Ho Chi Minh City, the American group conducted a singing workshop with students at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music and performed on stage with several students at a public performance at the Conservatory.

In Hanoi, Backtrack Vocals engaged with an audience of 300 in a public performance at the Youth Theater and held a musical exchange with several hundred students at the National University of Art Education. The group also traveled north to Lao Cai province and cultural outreach with students and lecturers at Lao Cai College.

Hanoi’s Old Quarter lights up for Mid-Autumn Festival

A range of cultural activities are getting underway in Hanoi’s Old Quarter from September 7 to 10 to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival 2022 that falls on September 10 this year.

Organisers expect to honour local artisans who make traditional items such as lanterns, masks and other toys for the Mid-Autumn Festival. They also want to create a playground for children to take part in folk games and learn more about the traditional culture.

During the four-day festival, a space will be erected at the Heritage House at 87 Ma May street to showcase trays of offerings, including fruits and moon cakes, prepared by typical Hanoian families during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Traditional toys will also be introduced to both locals and tourists at Kim Ngan Communal House at 42 - 44 Hang Bac street, as well as the Hanoi Old Quarter Cultural Exchange Center at 50 Dao Duy Tu street.

At these venues, artisans will educate visitors on how to make To He or rice-powder toy figurines, and to produce star-shaped lanterns.

Moreover, several art performances will be held in front of Dong Xuan market, along with folk games and a lantern procession which will get underway in the walking space around Hoan Kiem, also known as the Returned Sword Lake.

Cambodia requested to clarify Vietnamese death outside Bavet casino

Vietnam on September 8 requested Cambodia to look into the murder of a Vietnamese citizen outside a casino in its southwestern locality in late August.

The killing of the Vietnamese national occurred outside Casino 67 in Bavet city, Svay Rieng province on August 26.

The police reported the 34-year-old victim named Duong was a Vietnamese chef, who was assaulted with sticks by a group of people in front of the casino in Bavet.

CCTV footage shows Duong was beaten to death on the sidewalk where the assault took place.

Cambodia authorities said the murderers were also Vietnamese and they fled immediately after committing the crime.

At a regular press briefing on September 8, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet said Vietnam has contacted relevant Cambodian agencies to request clarification and investigations are underway.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia has contacted the bereaved family to assist in bringing the victim’s body back home.

Hong Kong always welcomes Vietnamese firms, talents: official

Hong Kong (China) always welcomes Vietnamese businesses and talents, said Chan Kwok-ki, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, at a September 7 ceremony marking Vietnam’s 77th National Day (September 2, 1945-2022).

In his speech, Chan noted localities of Vietnam and Hong Kong have long had a close relationship, with bilateral trade turnover growing 11.8% on an annual average.

He emphasised that the prospect of cooperation in economic and trade relations between the two sides is huge.

With Hong Kong being a global financial centre and a bridge between mainland China and Asia, the official said he hopes Vietnamese and Hong Kong localities will have more cooperation initiatives in diverse fields apart from trade and education. He suggested the joint works be expanded to the sectors of art, culture, innovation and technology.

Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese Consul General Pham Binh Dam said Hong Kong is currently the 8th and 5th largest foreign trade partner and investor of Vietnam, respectively, while Vietnam was Hong Kong's 7th biggest trading partner in 2021.

The sides’ relations are also constantly developing in culture, education and training, the diplomat said, adding that the number of Vietnamese students in Hong Kong has doubled to nearly 200. In 2022 alone, the Chinese University of Hong Kong has granted scholarships to 18 Vietnamese students.

Vietnam Night honours quintessence of Vietnamese rice

A Vietnam Night, themed “Quintessence of Vietnam Rice,” took place in Ho Chi Minh City on September 7 as part of the ongoing 16th International Travel Expo HCM City (ITE HCMC 2022).

The event was attended by top leaders from the Mekong Sub-region and travel agencies from more than 25 countries and territories.

The event aimed to promote Vietnam as an agricultural country and the world’s top rice exporter among foreign visitors, said Chairman of the city People's Committee Phan Van Mai in his opening remarks, describing rice as the root of Vietnamese civilization and culture.

He said it is a greeting from HCM City, a dynamic and exciting destination for international tourists. The 300-year-old city carries a modern lifestyle in a centuries-old culture and architecture, he said.

The night also featured a host of culinary activities as well as music performances that re-enact Vietnam’s thousands-year history from the legendary beginning when dragon lord Lac Long Quan and beautiful fairy Au Co – believed to be the ancestors of Vietnamese – met.

Over 4.6 million employees nationwide receive house rent support

As of September 7, more than 4.6 million labourers nationwide had received housing rent support worth over 3.1 trillion VND (over 131.46 million USD) under a recent decision of the Prime Minister, equivalent to 83.3% of the total approved registrations.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), over 5 million employees affected by the COVID-19 across the country have been approved for the support in accordance with the policy, with a total value of over 3.6 trillion VND (over 152.6 million USD).

As many as 41 localities across the country have completed the disbursement. 

There are six provinces which have disbursed less than 80% of the proposed amount.

Decision No.08/QD-TTg dated March 28, 2022, aims to assist workers who face housing difficulties and to help enterprises maintain production and attract back employees who left the country's production hubs for their hometowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the decision, labourers working in enterprises will receive 500,000 VND (22 USD) per person each month and those returning to the labour market, 1,000,000 VND. 

“Ao Dai Heritage” project promotes Vietnam-Italy cultural exchange

Vietnam hosted a cultural exchange with Italy in the fashion design industry themed “Áo dài Heritage-the culture of Tình thương” in Hanoi on September 8.

Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro stated that the Italian Embassy in Vietnam strives to strengthen cultural exchanges between the two countries, especially in the fashion industry which is considered a strength of Italy.

“Áo dài Heritage-the culture of Tình thương” is a special project which fosters cultural exchanges and at the same time introduces Ao Dai – the traditional Vietnamese dress – to the world, as well as forging cooperation opportunities in the fashion industry, said the diplomat.

An Ao Dai collection featuring a total of 60 outfits created by Vietnamese designer Quang Hoa and Italian designer Maria Elena Di Terlizzi will be made under the project. 

The schedule will see two Ao Dai fashion shows take place every year during the five-year period. Performances will be held in cities which boast special cultural and heritage values around the world.

The project is being jointly organised by the Golden Heritage team, the Italian Embassy in Vietnam, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam with the aim of celebrating the 50th anniversary of mutual ties.

Binh Duong to host international three-cushion billiards tournament 2022

A total of 64 local and three foreign players are set to compete in an international three-cushion billiards tournament which is scheduled to run from September 15 to 18 in the southern province of Binh Duong.

The tournament will see the participation of two Japanese players O Takeshima, Takao Miyashita, and one player from the Netherlands. Notably, O Takeshima had previously competed in the event three times, in 2013, 2014, and 2019.

Among the Vietnamese cueists are Tran Quyet Chien and Nguyen Nhu Le who won the championship titles of the Binh Duong international three-cushion billiards tournaments in 2019 and 2021.

The competitors will be drawn into 16 groups of four, with the best two of each group advancing to the next round.

French Consulate General’s open day set for Sept 17

As part of the European Heritage Days 2022, the Consulate General of France in Ho Chi Minh City will open its doors to the public on September 17.

Visitors will have a chance to see the iconic 19th-century buildings of Indochina architecture which are not normally accessible to the public, observe the landscape around the buildings and enjoy French products.

This year, visitors will take a tour via a QR code application in three languages (Vietnamese, English and French) to discover the history of the place and some anecdotes related to it.

Visitors need to register in advance via bit.ly/jephcmv2022. They will be organized into small groups and take a 30-minute tour around the consulate’s premises between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The program is limited to people over 12 years of age.

The French Consulate General buildings was constructed in 1872 by engineers of the French Navy in the historical center of HCM City. It also has a private park covering more than 1.5 hectares and is home to a big ecosystem and big trees which are older than the buildings.

Multiple activities to celebrate Vietnam-RoK diplomatic ties

A lantern festival, to take place in Hanoi from September 9-11, will start a series of cultural activities marking the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

The RoK Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on its website that in the country, opportunities to experience Vietnamese culture, including the Vietnamese language and traditional clothing, will be provided during the Asia Culture Week in October and the Asia Traditional Orchestra.

A new Vietnamese song will also be released online on the occasion of the establishment of diplomatic ties (December). The ministry also plans to hold consecutive events in Vietnam to share and promote exchanges between the cultures of the two nations, including the RoK-Vietnam Visiting Book Fair (late September), K-Expo (October), the Korean Cultural Festival (October), the opening of the Korean Hall and Interactive Experience Centre at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (November), and the Korea Culture and Tourism Exhibition (December).

Minister Park Bo-gyoon will unveil a range of diverse cultural exchange events in both the RoK and Vietnam to marke the 30th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties.

Police hunt for gunman in Vietnam bank robbery

The police of Dong Nai province in southern Vietnam are hunting for a young man who on September 8 used a gun to threaten employees of a commercial bank and steal approximately VND600 million.

The incident occurred at around 3pm at Tam Phuoc transaction office of the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) in Bien Hoa city, the capital of Dong Nai province.

CCTV footage shows a young man wearing a mask and a helmet walked into the transaction office and suddenly pulled out a gun to threaten employees, forcing them to give him money.

After getting the money, the armed man quickly left the scene and drove a motorbike parking outside the bank to escape.

Some witnesses recalled that when the incident happened, many people inside the transaction office panicked, ran away, or did not dare to get closer to the gunman.

Some people chased after the man, and a few shots were fired.

The robber later drove away towards Long Thanh district of Dong Nai province.

Preliminary reports show the gunman stole about VND600 million and did not injure any employees.

Vietjet offers promotional tickets to welcome Mid-Autumn Festival

Vietjet is launching a golden day of promotion from 0:00 to 24:00 on September 9, offering 100,000 tickets off 99% on all domestic and international routes to welcome the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Accordingly, customers when booking Eco tickets at website www.vietjetair.com, Vietjet Air mobile app can immediately apply the promotion code VIETJET99 to receive up to 99% discount on fares, excluding taxes and fees.

The promotion tickets are applied on all routes covering Vietnam and international destinations famous for their culture, cuisine and captivating scenery in India, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Indonesia (Bali), Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia... with flexible flights time from September 19, 2022 to March 26, 2023, excluding Tet and national holidays.

National external information service award presented to French historian

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang on September 8 presented the consolation prize of the 7th National External Information Service Awards 2021 to historian Alain Ruscio, an expert on Vietnam's modern history.

His award-winning article was on Vietnam’s efforts to pave the way for decolonization in 1945, published in the electronic version of L'Humanité (Humanity) on September 4, 2020.

Before becoming a historian, Alain Ruscio was the first correspondent of L'Humanité newspaper in Hanoi in 1980s, during which he had chances to meet General Vo Nguyen Giap who was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People’s Army and led the army from victory to victory during Vietnam’s resistance wars, and other famous leaders of Vietnam. After these meetings, he wrote many articles about Vietnam.

The organising board of the 7th National External Information Service Awards received over 1,000 entries in 14 languages which were published as articles in print and online newspapers, websites licensed by competent agencies, radio and TV broadcast, press and landscape photos, and books.

Notably, foreign authors and press agencies, overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese embassies abroad also sent works to the awards.

The event honoured 102 best entries, including one special, 10 first, 19 second, 29 third and 43 consolation prizes.

Lao army exhibition marks Friendship and Solidarity Year with Vietnam

The Lao Ministry of National Defence on September 8 launched a photo exhibition in Vientiane to celebrate the Laos-Vietnam and Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022.

The exhibition features 148 photos depicting the friendship, special solidarity and combatant alliance and the 45-year comprehensive partnership between the two neighbouring countries.

It also presents the multifaceted cooperation and alliance between the two militaries during wartime as well as how the two sides have worked together to consolidate and develop strong logistics, technical, search and rescue, and epidemic response forces.

One-stop-shop health services launched for HIV prevention

A community one-stop-shop model called DOME was officially launched on September 8 in Ho Chi Minh City, piloting the first six shops with health services for HIV prevention and treatment.

The model is an initiative of the Centre for Promotion of Quality of Life (LIFE) and community-based organisations (CBOs), with its motto of putting customers at the centre and a mission of improving the quality of community health.

Its first six shops are located in densely populated areas to create more convenience for customers to easily access health services they need.

Six pillars of the model include outreach, counselling, screening, testing, referral and support.

Through a cooperation network with public health centres and leading health experts, DOME offers health counselling and services such as sexual and reproductive health, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, mental health and support for drug addicts to have treatment, among others.

It features three communications channels - online, offline and mobile - to serve customers anytime and anywhere.

Vietnamese studies expert Lokshin passes away

Grigory Mikhailovich Lokshin, a well-known Russian expert in Vietnamese studies, passed away on September 7 following a long period illness. He was 84.

Lokshin, from the Centre for Vietnam and ASEAN Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences, directly participated in the organisation of mass movements in Russia for unity with the Vietnamese and coordinate them with socialist movements in other countries in order to call for an end to the war in Vietnam during the 1965-1973 period.

He had worked as Vice President of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association since 2007.

Lokshin is also one of the authors of history books, including those on Vietnam, and the author of many articles on the national liberation movement in Southern Vietnam.

With the significant contributions to people-to-people exchange, scientific activities and the Vietnam-Russia relations, the expert has been honoured with the friendship order between nations of the Soviet Union.
He was also awarded with the friendship order of the Vietnamese State twice, and other medals.

A memorial service for Lokshin will be held in Moscow on September 11.

Volleyball team aim to build on recent success at ASEAN Grand Prix

Vietnam will take on Indonesia in the opening match of the second women’s ASEAN Grand Prix Volleyball tournament in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, on September 9.

Later, hosts and reigning champions Thailand will face the Philippines.

The Grand Prix is an international women’s volleyball tournament in Southeast Asia that is contested by four member national teams of the Southeast Asian Volleyball Association (SEAZVA) – the sport’s regional governing body under the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC).

The four-side event promotes women’s volleyball in the region and helps each team sharpen their skills to achieve greater heights and prepare themselves for major competitions.

Thailand, the current world No 14, are favourites to defend the title. They will represent the region at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Poland and the Netherlands from September 23 to October 16.

All four teams arrived in the host province on September 7.

They will compete in a round-robin format until Sunday at Korat Chatchai Hall inside the Chalerm Phrakiat Stadium in the northeastern city.

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