VietNamNet Bridge – Local and foreign experts have projected Vietnam could face high socio-economic risks by 2035 while other countries in Eastern Asia may have made breakthroughs.

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung expressed his delight at meeting World Bank (WB) Country Director in Viet Nam, Victoria Kwakwa, in Ha Noi yesterday,

VietNamnet Bridge - Concerns about public debt arose again after the Ministry of Finance (MOF) asked for VND30 trillion from the State Bank.

The good news about the GDP growth rate of 6.28 percent in the first six months of the year, the highest in five years, has been overshadowed by a report from the World Bank (WB) that every Vietnamese citizen bears $1,200 in public debt.

 VietNamNet Bridge - According to a survey conducted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the World Bank, a large number of people (47%) expressed concern at the increasing gap between the rich and the poor in Vietnam.

VietNamNet Bridge - Infrastructure and conditions in Vietnam are still not sufficient to apply the market-based electricity pricing mechanism, experts say.

EuroCham, in its latest report about foreign investors’ views about Vietnam’s energy policies, pointed out that Vietnam’s ability to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) does not depend on the price of electricity.

Last year VN took the initiative to speed up restructuring of State-owned enterprises, but it also needs to strengthen its focus on another pillar of the economy, the private sector, which is key to the nation's future success, said Wendy Jo Werner..

 Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has hailed the World Bank (WB) for its assistance in reforming the financial and banking sector in Vietnam, and pledged to hold the sector to international practices and standards.

Vietnam has committed to working diligently to maximise its use of official development assistance, National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan assured World Bank Country Director in Vietnam Victoria Kwakwa in Hanoi on February 3.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam ranks second among the countries with the most complaints related to corruption, especially in the field of transport and water supply, according to the World Bank (WB).

The most prestigious financial institutions believe that Vietnam's economy will see a strong recovery in 2015 and that the drop in crude oil prices, though lowering revenue for the state, will help foster production and consumption.

Vietnamese bank invests in five-star hotel in Laos;  HCMC agricultural restructuring brings many successes; Power group continues proposing power price increase; VN moves to improve ship standards; WB keeps Vietnam’s GDP growth at 5.6 percent in 2015

The World Bank announced on December 24 that its Board of Executive Directors approved $450 million in loans for Vietnam to carry out the second phase of an environmental sanitation project in Ho Chi Minh City.

 World BankCountry Director Victoria Kwakwa has affirmed development partners’ willingness to support Vietnam through providing policy consultancy and capital sources at the Vietnam Development Partnership Forum which opened in Hanoi on December 5.

 VietNamNet Bridge – International institutions and media have recently reported on the positive outlook of Vietnam’s national economy and brighter prospects in 2015.

Ho Chi Minh City attracts over 3.1 billion USD in FDI; WB reports early signs of Vietnam's economic recovery; SOE equitisation requires $5-10 billion; SBV calls for agriculture credit boost; Vietnam offers huge opportunity for retail banking market

 The World Bank (WB) on December 3 revised its growth projections for Viet Nam from 5.4% to 5.6% in 2014 in its economic update report.

 Local carriers busy for new int’t air routes; PM considers support for Lao Bao economic zone; Trade shortfall with China swells; US$700-million waste complex to go up in Long An; Major IT event set for December

 VietNamNet Bridge - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said at a recent conference held by the Ministry of Planning and Investment that the calculation of GDP in Vietnam was unrealistic and different from other countries.