Day: July 15, 2021

The application of source-to-sea (S2S) approach on managing plastic waste in the central province of Quang Nam’s Hoi An city was discussed at an online meeting on July 14.

Held by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the meeting was part of a project on the matter that lasts until May 2022.

Bui Thi Thu Hien, Marine and Coastal Programme Coordinator at the IUCN Vietnam, said it is the first activity to connect sides involved in the project.

According to Hien, S2S is an approach to reduce marine waste through connectivity and interrelation between river basins and coastal areas to address the overall problem of land and freshwater management and ecosystems to control and limit plastic waste from different sources poured into the sea and freshwater systems.

Kieu Thi Kinh from the University of Science and Education under the University of Da Nang, reviewed an audit report on Hoi An’s plastic waste in 2020.

She said the city’s main emission sources include households (accounting for 45 percent), business establishments (40 percent), markets (12 percent), schools and offices (2.7 percent) and craft villages (0.3 percent).

The total amount of plastic waste generated in Hoi An is more than 8,909 tonnes a year, half of which was nylon and packaging. More than 519 tonnes, mainly valuable plastic of high value and large size, of the total are recycled.

For a greener Hoi An, Kinh recommended waste classification at sources, the reduction of plastic bags and single-use plastics, and increasing management for agrofishery, construction, and street waste.

Ruth Mathews, a representative from the SIWI, said the approach’s intended outcome is to identify appropriate actions in response to changes in major flows, generating economic, social and environmental benefits.

Participants suggested the local authorities come up with mechanisms to encourage individuals and businesses to invest in waste treatment; build standards for and put into operation solid waste treatment plants; and form norms on waste collection and transportation at source./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo discussed cooperation between the two countries as well as regional and international issues of shared concern during their online talks on July 15.

Widodo congratulated Phuc on his new position as President of Vietnam, and affirmed that Indonesia wishes to lift its traditional friendship and strategic partnership with Vietnam to a new high.

For his part, Phuc stressed that Indonesia is always Vietnam’s close and trustworthy friend, expressing his hope to welcome the Indonesian President in Vietnam at an appropriate time.

The leaders concurred to enhance coordination and the exchange of experience in COVID-19 response and vaccine access.

Widodo lauded Vietnam’s achievements in pandemic containment and socio-economic development.

The Vietnamese leader shared difficulties facing Indonesia in the COVID-19 combat, and expressed his belief that the country will soon put the pandemic under control and recover its economy.

He used the occasion to thank the Indonesian side for its cooperation in protecting Vietnamese citizens affected by the pandemic, and called on Indonesia to further facilitate their health check-up, quarantine and treatment when necessary.

Both Presidents commended progress in the bilateral collaboration across spheres, especially economy and trade, saying the two-way trade still reached 8.2 billion USD in 2020 and 4.5 billion USD in the first five months of this year despite difficulties presented by COVID-19.

They agreed to increase all-level exchanges and meetings in a flexible manner, and effectively materialise bilateral cooperation mechanisms, while pressing ahead with the implementation of the 2019-2023 action programme to realise the strategic partnership and the Joint Vision on Defence Cooperation for 2017-2022.

To boost post-pandemic economic recovery and development, the leaders committed to instructing relevant agencies to promote coordination with a view to soon raising two-way trade to 10 billion USD.

They consented that the two countries will ease the imposition of trade barriers and facilitate trade, investment and connectivity activities, particularly the export and import of rice and other agricultural products.

The two sides will also step up negotiations on the demarcation of the overlapping exclusive economic zone, and address emerging issues in the spirit of the friendship and strategic partnership.

The Presidents exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, including those regarding the East Sea and the Myanmar situation.

They agreed to enhance coordination at regional and multilateral organisations and forums.

Phuc congratulated Indonesia on its assumption of G20 Presidency in 2022 for the first time, saying he believes that the country will help promote and ensure ASEAN’s centrality, and include the bloc’s cooperation priorities in the G20 agenda./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate at 23,203 VND per USD on July 15, down 1 VND from the previous day.

With the current trading band of +/- 3 percent, the ceiling rate applied to commercial bank during the day is 23,899 VND/USD and the floor rate 22,506 VND/USD.

The rates listed at commercial banks saw slight fluctuations.

At 8:20 am, the rates at Vietcombank were listed at 22,880 VND/USD (buying) and 23,110 VND/USD (selling), unchanged from July 14.

BIDV cut both rates by 15 VND, listing the buying rate at 22,910 VND/USD and the selling rate at 23,110 VND/USD.

Vietinbank kept both rates unchanged from the previous day, listing the buying rate at 22,890 VND and the selling rate at 23,110 VND/USD./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency