Day: February 11, 2022

A core element of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), food security, now looms as a priority for Southeast Asia, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, according to an article published on The Diplomat online news magazine.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread disruption in Southeast Asia, in terms of the number of deaths, the livelihoods lost, and the major interruptions to supply chains, it stated.

Moreover, the recent rise in inflation, which has resulted in higher food prices, has severely eroded the purchasing power of households. This has raised questions about the region’s food security, which up until recently was primarily the domain of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) community, regional organisations, the United Nations, and individual nations.

Experts stressed that COVID-19 stopped any progress made in addressing key food security challenges, like climate change and crop productivity, and exposed previously unknown vulnerabilities, while placing a serious strain on food supply chains.

For Southeast Asian countries, which have always been seen as food insecure, and are also highly vulnerable to climate change, there are a number of actions that must be addressed immediately.

According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), domestic food production in Indonesia has consistently failed to keep up with a growing population, yet the pandemic reduced vital food imports. COVID-19 has similarly disrupted domestic production and distribution, resulting in deficits in key staples such as rice, eggs, and sugar.

In Thailand, a drought in 2020 lowered sugar yields, which caused production to fall dramatically, while the onset of COVID-19 reduced demand. The result was a 19 percent decline in Thai sugar exports in 2020.

Refined sugar is shipped in containers. But COVID-19 created logistics concerns over warehousing, port congestion, and increased freight costs. These challenges are not limited to Thailand but are replicated throughout the region, the writing underlined.

In addressing disruptions to food supplies beyond the pandemic, facilitating the free flow of goods is vital, as is ensuring an adequate labour supply and better management of border controls.

Currently, sustainable agricultural production in Southeast Asia is dependent on a stable supply of migrant labour.

Governments in the region need to prioritise migrant farm labourers in order to prevent food insecurity. During the pandemic, the supply of migrant workers was compromised as countries tightened border controls.

Addressing marginalisation could protect workers trapped by future border restrictions or conflict-related humanitarian crises.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The 2021-25 National School Health Programme, recently approved by the Government, is aiming for over 23 million of children, or about 25 percent of the population, to receive primary health care right from their school.

The programme demonstrates the nation’s determination and aspiration to care for future generations.

This is the first step for a practical, comprehensive and long-term programme on school health with the largest scale ever.

Its target is to ensure the comprehensive physical and mental development for children at preschools, special education schools, and students at primary and high schools.

The national programme has set goals for 80 percent of schools to have adequate medicines and equipment as regulated by the Ministry of Health, 75 percent of schools to provide enough drinking water and clean water for students’ activities.

It also sets targets for physical education and sports activities in schools. Accordingly, 80 percent of schools will have at least one area to ensure necessary equipment and tools for physical education and sports activities as prescribed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

All schools will periodically organise sports competitions in accordance with the law on physical sports; 100 percent of primary and high schools have enough qualified physical teachers who were trained in professional skills.

Targets were set for school meals, ensuring proper nutrition for children, including 100 percent of schools organising lunch at canteens, ensuring hygiene and food safety according to regulations of the Ministry of Health. Students must also be taught about proper nutrition, healthy and safe food. According to results of the 2019-2020 National Nutrition Census of the National Institute of Nutrition, the proportion of overweight and obese children in Vietnam increased 2.2 times from 8.5 percent in 2010 to 19 percent in 2020. Nearly 40 percent of school canteens had yet to ensure food safety and hygiene.

At present, more than 40 percent of students have refractive errors, nearly 90 percent of students are suffering dental diseases, and 7-15 percent have scoliosis. These diseases have affected students’ ability to study, daily and entertainment activities, and their quality of life, thus leaving long-term consequences.

Therefore, the 2021-25 National School Health Programme clearly outlines the tasks and solutions for the future. One of the important solutions is to upgrade the healthcare facilities and equipment in schools.

Specifically, schools need to be equipped with medical equipment and medicines to ensure the effective implementation of school healthcare work, meeting the requirements of disease prevention and control especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In which, schools will install tables and chairs suitable for students’ height, especially children with disabilities; building or repairing clean water works, and sanitation facilities in schools.

The health and education sectors will also be working to strengthen their inspection of school healthcare including food safety, dental care, optical care and first aid capabilities.

For disadvantaged, remote and mountainous, ethnic minority areas, the Government will give priority and promote the improvement of medical equipment to ensure conditions for teaching and learning, and school meals.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The northern and north-central regions will go through another bitter cold week which is likely to stay on until February 20, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Scattered rains and showers are expected across the north throughout the next week, with fog forecast at nights and in early mornings.

Hanoi will see torrential rains and thunderstorm over the next three days, but it will be warmer with the sun shining from February 17.

Meanwhile, it will be sunny in the south-central, Central Highlands and southern regions, with showers and thunderstorms expected in the evening and at night, during the period.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

More than 463,000 people have used Mobile Money as of February 11, over one month after the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) and the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) launched the cashless payment service, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

So far, 77,200 establishments have accepted this payment method nationwide, the ministry said.

To popularise the service to the public, Viettel has set up 80,000 points to provide consultations and support customers in registering and using the service.

Mobile Money is expected to be a push towards cashless payment in Vietnam, a country where only 50 percent of the population have a bank account, and most people pay for goods valued at less than 100,000 VND (4.41 USD) by cash.

The development of Mobile Money will help promote digital transformation, and expand the use of cashless payment services to most people, especially those in remote, mountainous and rural areas.

The ministry will build mechanisms to promote, manage and supervise the deployment of Mobile Money service this year.

It will also continue to encouraging telecom service operators to transform telecommunications infrastructure into digital infrastructure which will significantly contribute to developing e-Government, digital economy and society.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam obtained 6.1 more points and maintained their 98th place in the latest edition of the FIFA Men’s World Rankings.

The team was also ranked first in Southeast Asia, followed by Thailand and the Philippines.

The results were attributed to their 3-1 victory over China on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which helped them become the Southeast Asian team with the best performance in the history of the World Cup qualifiers.

In the world top 10, Belgium managed to retain their top spot with 1,828.45 points, followed by Brazil and France. The UK lost their 4th place to Argentina.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

There are great opportunities and a bright future for US companies within sight in Vietnam despite the economic implications of the COVID-19 for the country, said Adam Sitkoff, executive director from the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Hanoi, in a recent interview.

US companies and investors have contributed significantly to the transformation and growth of Vietnam’s economy, Sitkoff told Dau Tu (Vietnam Investment Review). This continues today as AmCham members represent billions of US dollars in foreign investment, tens of thousands of direct employees, hundreds of thousands of indirect employees, and a significant share of Vietnam’s exports and tax revenues, he said.

He revealed that the Vietnam-US trade totalled about 100 billion USD last year and the US remains Vietnam’s largest buyer, even during these tough times.

Last year was challenging for everybody, regardless of business sector, he said, noting that for US companies in Vietnam, the biggest challenge was the frequent changes in regulations that were announced and implemented on short notice. He commended the Vietnamese government’s recent decisions to facilitate cross-border travel and encouraged additional actions to reduce the burdens on inbound and outbound international travel by both foreigners and Vietnamese citizens.

He hoped to see more predictable, streamlined procedures for US executives, incoming investors, and technical support teams to maintain operations and facilitate expansion and new investment.

The official also expected the Vietnamese and US government to begin efforts towards a bilateral trade agreement. A trade deal would improve investment and trade flows, assist sustainable supply chains, enhance business conditions that strengthen the private sector, ensure sustainable economic and social development, and promote prosperity in Vietnam, he stated.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received the newly-appointed ambassadors of Mexico and the US, who came to present their credentials to the Vietnamese leader in Hanoi on February 11.

At the reception for Mexican Ambassador Alejandro Negrin Munoz, President Phuc believed that the diplomat will excellently fulfill his term of office in Vietnam to help bolster the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

Munoz noted with satisfaction that bilateral cooperation has been growing well over the last 47 years, expressing his hope that Vietnam and Mexico will set up a strategic partnership, which will be a basis for further augmenting their collaboration.

The Vietnamese President said the bilateral ties have been thriving unceasingly in the recent past as seen in the maintenance of all-level meetings, along with the continued promotion of the political consultation and the joint committee on economic, trade, and investment cooperation. Mexico is currently the second largest trade partner of Vietnam in Latin America with bilateral trade approximating 5.2 billion USD, he said.

Vietnam will work closely with Mexico to increase high-level meetings and cooperation in defence, finance, customs, agriculture, and education, he affirmed.

As both countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), President Phuc said they should expand partnerships to new areas and remove obstacles in a timely way to develop their ties in a comprehensive, sustainable, and substantive manner.

He also called on Mexico to back Vietnam’s candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023 – 2025 term, and for continued mutual support at multilateral forums.

The President wished Mexico success as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2021 – 2022 and, via the ambassador, invited his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to visit Vietnam at an appropriate point of time. Congratulating Marc Evans Knapper on his appointment as the US Ambassador to Vietnam, President Phuc welcomed the diplomat’s return to Hanoi, and spoke highly of Knapper’s performance while working in Vietnam during 2004 – 2007, which greatly helped promote relations between the two countries.

Recalling the visit to Vietnam by US Vice President Kamala Harris last August, President Phuc noted the Vietnam – US comprehensive partnership has been developing more intensively and practically. Bilateral trade hit a record of 111 billion USD in 2021, turning Vietnam into one of the 10 largest trade partners of the US, he added.

He thanked the US for the provision of 24.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for Vietnam, assistance in response to climate change, and cooperation in settling war aftermath and building mutual trust.

The State leader expressed his belief that during his term of office in Vietnam, the ambassador will contribute more to the bilateral ties.

For his part, Knapper held that the Vietnam – US relations will develop further in the time ahead, pledging all-out efforts to promote their cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, education, defence, and security.

He also voiced his delight at the US’s vaccine assistance for Vietnam amid the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed his hope that when the outbreak is gradually put under control, the two countries will organise many high-level mutual visits.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Retail petrol prices increased by nearly 1,000 VND per litre from 3pm on February 11 following the latest adjustment by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance.

This is the third consecutive increase of petrol prices in 2022 and the fourth in a row.

Accordingly, the retail price of RON95 bio-fuel rose by 962 VND to a maximum of 25,322 VND (1.12 USD) per litre, while that of E5RON92 rose 976 VND to no more than 24,571 VND per litre.

Meanwhile, the prices of diesel 0.05S and kerosene went up 962 VND and 958 VND per litre, respectively.

The management of petrol prices is to ensure the implementation of the goal of inflation control and market stabilisation from the beginning of 2022, support people and businesses that are facing difficulties due to COVID-19, and encourage the use of biofuel to protect the environment.

Source: Vietnam News Agency