Day: September 24, 2021

Ho Chi Minh City has received 1 million rapid test kits worth more than 200 billion VND (8.8 million USD) donated by a number of businesses to help the city in COVID-19 control.

Sovico Group, HDBank and Vietjet Air offered the support to join hands with the city in implementing a fast testing campaign on all residents to define “green zones”.

At a ceremony to receive the donation on September 23, Standing Vice President of the city Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Nguyen Thanh Trung highly valued the social responsibility of the firms. He pledged that the city will distribute the medical supplies promptly, contributing to quickly pushing back the pandemic and resuming normal situation in the city.

Since July 1, the city’s committee for raising, receiving and distributing fund for COVID-19 prevention and control has received over 2.1 trillion VND (92.47 million USD) in cash, essential goods, medical supplies and medicine from 179 individuals, businesses and organisations inside and outside the country.

The committee has so far distributed over 825 billion VND in cash and more than 322 billion VND worth of goods to COVID-19 prevention and control activities in the city.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam trounced Maldives 16-0 in their first match held on September 23 at the qualifying round of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha opened the scoreboard for Vietnam in the 11th minute, followed by an own goal by a defender of Maldives.

The first half ended with Vietnam taking a five-goal lead.

Although head coach Mai Duc Chung made various substitutions after the interval, Vietnam piled on 11 more goals to register their highest ever score at international level. Vietnam will play the hosts Tajikistan on September 29.

As Afghanistan have officially withdrawn, only three teams remain in Group B.

Only the top team from each group will advance to the finals. The Asian Cup is also a qualification for the 2023 World Cup.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A teleconference between the Prime Minister and the business community, localities will take place in Hanoi on September 26 to discuss support for enterprises amid COVID-19 pandemic, reported the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

The event will be co-hosted by the VCCI, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Government Office and people’s committees of centrally-run cities and provinces.

Data from the General Statistics Office (GSO) showed that in August, the number of firms leaving the market was higher than newly-established ones. In eight months of this year, there were 81,600 newly-established firms but up to 85,500 left the market.

Among those leaving the market, 43,200 firms suspended their operations for a fixed period, up 25.9 percent. Other 30,100 waited for and 12,200 completed business dissolution procedures, marking a respective increase of 24.5 percent and 17.8 percent. On average, nearly 10,700 companies left the market each month.

The GSO also reported that the numbers of new firms and workers, and registered capital in August decreased markedly year-on-year.

As of September 24, the VCCI received suggestions from over 100 business associations and hundreds of firms regarding response to the pandemic. Based on them, the VCCI will make a report to submit to the event.

Earlier on September 17, the VCCI debuted the Business Cooperation Council in response to COVID-19 to offer the quickest support to business community. The council has launched the website https://covid19.vcci.com.vn and put into operation an online platform where firms could report their difficulties and offer proposals to the Government and localities.

Business associations or firms could register for a member of the council via the website and send recommendations to the event so that the VCCI could collect them and report to the PM and agencies concerned.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son on September 23 (local time) held a number of bilateral meetings with his foreign counterparts on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly’s 76th session in New York.

At a meeting with Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Son highlighted the progress of and high potential in bilateral trade, suggesting that the two sides work more closely together to prepare for the third meeting of the bilateral Joint Committee and the second Political Consultation. He also proposed that Qatar strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in energy and liquefied gas supply, while continuing to receive more Vietnamese workers to work in the oil and gas sector.

Meeting Belarusian FM Vladimir Makei, the Vietnamese official underlined the need to further foster bilateral collaboration, especially in economy and trade. He proposed that both sides maintain the exchange of delegations at all levels, and asked for Belarus’s support to Vietnam’s running for a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council in the 2023-2025 tenure.

During a discussion with his counterpart from Côte d’Ivoire Kandia Kamissoko Camara, Son affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to strengthening ties with traditional friends in Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire. He suggested that the two countries bolster cooperation in agriculture, trade, coffee industry, farm produce processing and mining.

At a meeting with Cameroon’s FM Lejeune Mbella Mbella, the Vietnamese FM said that both sides should further promote trade and agricultural partnership, while asking Cameroon to support and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest and operate in the country.

Meeting Deputy Prime Minister and FM of Congo Christophe Lutundula, Son stressed that Vietnam hopes to expand and enhance partnership with African partners, including Congo. He underscored that Vietnam is willing to send agricultural experts to support Congo and suggested that the two countries increase coordination to mark the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations (1961-2021), while maintaining the exchange of delegations, fostering cooperation in agriculture, mining, health care and education-training, as well as collaboration at the UN and international organisations. Son asked for Congo’s support in setting up relations with the American Union (AU).

During his meeting with UN Under-Secretary General and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, Son highly valued the positive and effective assistance from the UNDP to Vietnam, and welcomed the UNDP prioritising cooperation in poverty reduction, post-crisis management and recovery, and clean and green energy development.

He said that the UNDP’s cooperation programmes should suit orientations given in the socio-economic development strategy of Vietnam in the 2021-2030 period. He expressed his hope that the organisation continue to give policy consultation to Vietnam, initially in COVID-19 adaptation and post-pandemic recovery and development.

Steiner showed a hope that Vietnam will strengthen cooperation with the UNDP in sharing experience with other countries, pledging that the UNDP is willing to work with Vietnam in green growth, institution modernisation, innovation promotion, and climate change response.

Also on September 23, FM Son also attended the ASEAN-US Conference held in both in-person and virtual formats, during which he welcomed the US’s active and responsible contributions to peace, stability and cooperation in the region, and highly valued its helpful support to ASEAN countries in the COVID-19 fight. He proposed that the US continue to prioritise the provision of COVID-19 vaccines to ASEAN members.

The same day, Deputy FM Dang Hoang Giang attended the Ministerial Meeting of the Alliance for Multilateralism. He called on the international community to focus on COVID-19 vaccine production, handing over and presenting the vaccines to the COVAX Facility, eliminating all trans-border barriers against vaccine supply, and strengthening cooperation in vaccine production and tecnology transfer, considering vaccines as a common asset of the world.

Giang proposed the increase of international collaboration in ensuring all countries’ access to oxygen supplies, test kits, medicines as well as opportunities to enhance their capacity in detecting and controlling new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

He also underlined the significance of strengthening the exchange of experience in post-pandemic rebuilding, assisting and accompanying developing countries in improving their resilience in health care, economy and environment as well as economic recovery and development towards green, sustainable and more inclusive development, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The south-central province of Binh Thuan found no cases of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by local farmers from July 2019 to mid-2021, heard a conference on September 24.

Nguyen Van Chien, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said local authorities have paid attention to preventing IUU fishing, particularly fishing vessels’ illegal exploitation in foreign waters, over the past time.

Apart from enforcing the 2017 Law on Fisheries, Binh Thuan has drastically carried out the communication work to raise farmers’ awareness of relevant regulations, the official said.

The province has focused on implementing recommendations of the European Commission (EC) regarding the installation of Vessels Monitoring System (VMS) on boats, and supervising fishing activities at sea and ports.

Delegates at the conference discussed obstacles in combating IUU fishing, and countermeasures.

Nguyen Van Phong, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said border guards need to closely coordinate with law enforcement agencies, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to verify and handle violations.

All of the targeted fishing boats must be equipped with the VMS, he requested.

Source: Vietnam News Agency