VN successfully launches One UN Initiative

The One UN Initiative has been launched successfully in Viet Nam, confirmed UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) President Gonzalo Koncke Pizzorno at his meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc on December 8.

Mr. Ngoc highly valued the visit of the UN Women delegation to Viet Nam, adding that Viet Nam regards the UN Women as the crucial development partner and highlighted contributions of the agency in supporting Viet Nam’s gender equality works.

He asserted that Viet Nam will continue to fulfill the Millennium Goals and actively contribute to establishing the UN Development Agenda beyond 2015.

Mr. Pizzorno hailed Viet Nam’s achievements in implementing gender equality and women empowerment, especially the approval of the 2011-2020 national strategy on gender equality and the 2011-2015 national gender equality program.

Prime Minister leaves for ASEAN-RoK summit

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung left Hanoi on December 10 for Seoul for a commemorative summit marking the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-Republic of Korea Dialogue Relations and a working visit from December 10-12.

The events are being made at the invitation of RoK President Park Geun-Hye.

The commemorative summit, which takes the theme of “Building Trust, Bringing Happiness”, is expected to focus on reviewing and drawing out development orientations for ASEAN-RoK dialogue relations.

ASEAN and RoK leaders will also discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern and issue a joint statement on a vision for their relationship, which is expected to define the orientation and create a framework for the bilateral strategic partnership.

The PM’s working visit aims to foster the two countries’ strategic partnership and bolster the trust and relations between their senior leaders.

The Ministry of Home Affairs reviewed its performance this year and discussed plans for next year at a conference in Hanoi on December 9.

In his address, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung asked the Ministry to accelerate the formulation of legal institutions and complete important draft laws including the Law on the Organization of the Government.

He called for greater efforts to improve the efficiency of state management and boost administrative reform, and apply an e-government system.

Regarding plans for next year, the Government leader said, “Jobs in state agencies should be streamlined while improving management effectiveness. The government has approved the number of jobs in state agencies for 2015 and there will be no additional jobs even though ministries and provinces proposed an increase of 500.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs was urged to finalize the project on job descriptions to specify the functions and responsibilities of each state agency.

Dung said the Ministry needs to outline a management mechanism to increase the discipline of state employees, renovate the evaluation of civil servants, and increase the fighting spirit of Party cells in state agencies.

PM bids farewell to Chilean Ambassador

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung spoke highly of the contributions Chilean Ambassador to Vietnam Ferrnando Jose Urrutia has made to consolidating and boosting the comprehensive ties between the two countries during his tenure.

Receiving the outgoing ambassador in Hanoi on December 9, the host expressed his pleasure with the developing bilateral relationship in all fields, especially since the Vietnam-Chile Free Trade Agreement was signed.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung underscored that Vietnam will join Chile’s efforts to enhance bilateral collaboration, adding that the two countries should support each other at international forums and increase high-level visits.

He also urged Chile to support Vietnam in negotiation for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The PM expressed his wish that at any capacity, the diplomat will continue contributing to developing Vietnam-Chile ties, particularly in economy, trade, investment and education and training in the time ahead.

For his part, the Chilean ambassador thanked the Vietnamese Government, ministries, agencies and localities for helping him fulfill his mission.

He affirmed that the bilateral FTA is a new milestone in fostering trade between the two countries.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh received Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Khalid Ibrahim Abdulaziz Shohail Al-Qahtani while General Phung Quang Thanh, Minister of National Defence, met with outgoing Russian Ambassador Andrei Kovtun.

HCM City People’s Council meets

The 16th session of the eight People’s Council of Ho Chi Minh City convened on December 9 with an agenda full of outstanding socio-economic matters besides a vote of confidence for officials holding 18 positions elected by the council.

In 2014, HCM City’s gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated at over 878.9 trillion VND (41.8 billion USD) while GDP per capita stood at 5,131 USD, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Hua Ngoc Thuan reported, adding that the city created jobs for 284,000 people and reduced the household poverty rate under the city’s own criteria to 1.35 percent.

The southern economic hub posted 32 billion USD in export earnings and 25.9 billion USD in imports value during the year. Up to 69.4 percent of its exports were technological, processed and manufactured products, which was raised in line with the policy of export re-structuring, he added.

However, the official also admitted that HCM City failed to achieve seven out of 28 targets set by the People’s Council, including the growth of export turnover, the number of users of public transport, the rate of urban households accessing clean water supply, the rate of rural households using safe water, the rate of treated medical wastewater, the dealing with severely polluting production facilities, and the reduction of rain-caused inundated sites.

Chairwoman of the People’s Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam said the city encountered an array of socio-economic difficulties this year, such as the poor performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises, the shortage of running water, and the complicated drug and prostitution situation.

She asked the council’s members to carefully examine the causes behind the failure to achieve set targets and work out implementation measures to improve performance in these aspects in 2015.

During four days of working, the council will also elect additional positions for agencies under the council, and carry out question-and-answer sessions.

It will also contemplate ten proposals submitted by the People’s Committee relating to transport fees, the change of land use purposes, and construction investment using the city’s budget next year, among others.

Politburo member welcomes Lao Party Office delegation

Politburo member and Permanent Secretary of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh received a delegation from the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee’s Office led by its head Khamphanh Phommathat in Hanoi on December 9.

At the meeting, the Lao official informed his host of cooperation between the two Party Committees’ Offices, affirming that his agency will closely work with its Vietnamese counterpart in various fields, especially the exchange of information and experience, thus contributing to strengthening the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

For his part, Politburo member Le Hong Anh praised the all-round achievements the Lao people have made during their national renewal and development.

He expressed his wish that the two offices will continue close coordination and mutual assistance while jointly hastening relevant agencies and localities to effectively implement their reached agreements for the 2011-2015 period.

During their December 7-10 stay in Vietnam, the Lao guests held talks with a delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Office during which the two sides discussed concrete measures to boost their collaboration in the time to come.-

NA Chairman meets with armed force voters in Ha Tinh

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung met with voters working in armed forces in the central province of Ha Tinh on December 9.

Voters said they are delighted at the success of the recently-ended eighth session of the 13 th National Assembly, which saw many positive changes in legislative activities.

They appreciated Q&A sessions and the vote of confidence on 50 officials holding positions elected or approved by the NA.

The voters also expressed their hope that the legislature will increase budget for defence-security and crime prevention while paying more attention to the patrol and safeguarding of border markers as well as the life of border guard officers in far-flung areas.

Congratulating Ha Tinh officers and soldiers on the 70 th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 20 th All-People’s Defence Day (December 22), the NA leader affirmed that the Party and State always pay special attention to ensuring defence and security, especially in the context of the unpredictable political and security situation of the world and the region.

With the 2013 Constitution coming into effect early this year, Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung expressed hope for more involvement of Ha Tinh’s armed forces in perfecting the law system in order to facilitate the enforcement of the constitution.

The military, police and customs forces were also requested to stay ready to timely deal with social and political disorders.

Earlier, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and the province’s leaders visited the Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ky Anh district to inspect the construction of several key projects there.

More than 220 businesses have to date received investment licenses in this zone.-

Home Affairs Ministry asked to better law making on gov’t organisation

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to better its law making, with the focus on the draft laws on the organisation of the government and on local government organisation.

The PM made the request at the ministry’s conference in Hanoi on December 9 to review operations in 2014 and put forth tasks for 2015.

He urged the ministry to speed up administrative reform with consideration of the renovation of administrative procedures as a core task in the following year, and intensify information technology (IT) application in paperwork in order to save time and personnel.

The sector was also requested to maintain and then reduce the number of public servants, while improving their working capacity.

The ministry’s report delivered at the conference showed that this year, administrative reform has seen positive progress, with the application of IT in public servant examinations and management.

In addition to the tasks as demanded by the Government leader, the ministry will also step up measures to prevent corruption and wastefulness and practise thrift.

Netherlands - strategic partner of Vietnam: Deputy PM

The Netherlands is a strategic partner of Vietnam in the fields of climate change, agriculture and food security, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.

At a Hanoi reception for Mayor Eberhard Van de Laan of the Netherlands’ Amsterdam city on December 9, Hai noted with pleasure the developing Vietnam-Netherlands relations with two-way trade increasing by 13-14 percent per year.

He informed that the World Bank-funded Mekong Delta Plan, with the assistance of the Netherlands , has been deployed with the aim of managing water resources and controlling floods.

He spoke highly of collaboration between Hanoi and Amsterdam , expressing wish that the Dutch city will continue to cooperate with Hanoi in training and urban administration.

The Vietnamese Government is willing to support the two cities’ joint projects in energy and waste treatment, the Deputy PM affirmed.

For his part, the Amsterdam mayor said that the two sides should share experience and expand cooperation, including the opening of a direct route between Hanoi and Amsterdam which helps boost people-to-people exchange, tourism and trade.

He said his country may serve as a gateway for Vietnam ’s goods to enter the European market.

Vietnam, Laos strengthen executive training

Researchers of Vietnam and Laos discussed training of executives at present as well as viewpoints of the two countries’ parties in the field at a symposium in Vientiane on December 9.

The event aims to make clear the two parties’ opinions on providing training for managers in each country and personnel training cooperation of Vietnam and Laos.

Participants were presented with a number of reports focusing on executive training from experience of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), CPV policies on personnel work and Ho Chi Minh Thought on executives in the two countries’ revolutionary cause.

The symposium also reviewed personnel training cooperation between the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Lao National Academy of Politics and Public Administration.

The event was co-chaired by the directors of the two academies.-

Greater anti-corruption efforts for development

There is still much to be done to further enhance the role of people and all sectors in the fight against corruption.

On December 9, the Government Inspectorate and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) co-hosted a roundtable underlining the need to maximize combined efforts to combat corruption.

The seminar is an activity in response to the International Anti-Corruption Day (December 9) and the 10th anniversary of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).

In his statement, Deputy Chief Government Inspector Tran Duc Luong stated corruption hinders the socio-economic development as a result of increased poverty, undermining the health and education system and democracy and exacerbating injustice and inequality. Fighting corruption is an issue of global concern as it is seen in all countries, both rich and poor but the poor people have to suffer the most damage.

The speakers shared useful information about the efforts being made to prevent and combat corruption effectively, towards building a democratic, just, civilized society towards sustainable development.

According to Towards Transparency organization, promoting the participation of people in the fight against corruption is the most effective method for countries where governance is weak.

The organization also pointed out the history of the national construction and development have demonstrated the crucial role of people in dealing with social affairs. Consequently, it can not solely rely on the state apparatus to prevent corruption.

Major General, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Hai - Deputy Director of the People's Security Academy said in order to raise public awareness and responsibility in the battle against corruption, it is essential to step by step form a cultural habit against corruption in society.

Issues related to corruption prevention have been taught at the Academy of people's Security, he added.

Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate of Vietnam Huynh Phong Tranh said the Vietnamese Government will intensify anti-corruption measures with a focus on the strengthened involvement of people and the entire society.