Day: March 26, 2023

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Timely adjusting anti-COVID-19 measures to ensure public health

Vietnam recorded 64 COVID-19 cases in the week from March 21-25, raising the total number of cases from the start of the pandemic to 11,527,203.

As of March 25 evening, 10,614,899 COVID-19 patients have recovered. Only one patient is receiving breathing support, and no fatality was recorded in the past week.

The number of deaths from COVID-19 stood at 43,186, accounting for 0.4% of the total cases.

The pandemic has been under control across the country, with both new cases and deaths on the decline.

However, risks still remain, including possible appearance of new variants of greater danger. Therefore, the Health Ministry has built a plan on response to such threats.

The ministry will continue to closely monitor disease situations at border gates, in communities and health establishments, while pushing ahead with COVID-19 vaccination and communication activities on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Prevention and control measures will be timely adjusted to ensure proactive response to new developments related to COVID-19./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Seminar seeks experts’ advice for Vietnam’s green transition

A seminar on green and inclusive transition toward sustainable development in developing nations took place in Ho Chi Minh City on March 25, seeking experts’ advice for such progress in Vietnam.

The event was co-organised by the EfD (Environment for Development)-Vietnam, the Economy and Environment Partnership for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA), and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH).

Dr Nguyen Quang from the UEH said, heavily affected by climate change, Vietnam has become one of the pioneering countries in Southeast Asia in green transition.

He noted that Vietnam has come up with many outstanding financial policies concerning taxes, fees and economic tools to help enterprises develop green production, with many local firms switching from traditional business models to smarter and more sustainable, environmentally friendly ones.

Dr Nguyen The Chinh from the EEPSEA pointed a number of existing barriers that make it difficult for companies to implement their green transition, notably a lack of specific and legalised regulations on criteria to identify green businesses, green production processes, and green materials, among others.

The expert suggested a need to complete the legal framework by adding green production criteria serving different sectors as well as to devise suitable support policies and programmes to encourage firms to apply green business models.

Dr Mai Thanh Dung from the EEPSEA recommended engaging more experts, research institutions, and universities in the environment sector in the research for and building of emissions reduction and environmental protection plans in Vietnam and other developing countries./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Vietnam Airlines resumes direct flights between Da Nang and Japan’s Narita

A ceremony to welcome the first direct flight from Narita airport in Tokyo (Japan) to Da Nang after a long suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic was held by the national carrier Vietnam Airlines in the central beach city on March 26.

The nearly 180 Japanese passengers on the Vietnam Airlines flight were greeted with art performance and gifts from the city.

Deputy Director of Da Nang Department of Tourism Nguyen Xuan Binh said that Japan is considered a key market of the city’s tourism with stable growth. The locality received more than 183,000 Japanese arrivals in 2019, an increase of nearly 200% compared to 2015 (92,000 arrivals).

Since Vietnam reopened to international tourism in March 2022, the city has welcomed about 27,000 Japanese visitors. The resumption of regular flights from Narita to Da Nang is expected to make a positive contribution to attracting Japanese tourists back to Da Nang and vice versa in the coming time.

According to the airline, in the initial phase, starting from March 26, 2023 to June 30, 2023, the Narita – Da Nang route will operate four flights a week on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

From July 1 onward, Vietnam Airlines plans to operate daily flights with a frequency of seven flights a week in an attempt to boost tourism and trade exchange between Japan and the central region of Vietnam./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Enterprises’ social responsibility in biodiversity conservation highlighted

The GreenViet Biodiversity Conservation Centre in collaboration with the Gustav-Stresemann Institute of Germany organised a programme in the central city of Da Nang on March 25 to discuss enterprises’ social responsibility for biodiversity conservation and environmental protection.

At the event, experts and delegates proposed ideas for enterprises to carry out their social responsibility for environmental protection, and underlined the benefits that it brings.

Nguyen Dinh Phuc, Vice Chairman of the municipal Union of Science and Technology Associations, said more enterprises are willing to use their corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund to finance environmental projects carried out by social organisations. However, the coordination between the two sides still faces certain issues, he said, adding that events like this programme will help the sides find shared values and enhance their cooperation in the future.

The activity was part of a project on pooling financial resources for sustainable biodiversity conservation and environmental protection in Da Nang city, or known as Vietnam Wildlife Conservation Fund project, which is funded by the European Union Delegation to Vietnam.

The project aims to establish a fund for the conservation of wild flora and fauna in Vietnam, mobilise resources and enhance the capacity of local social organisations operating in the field of biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, and climate change response in Central and Central Highlands regions of the country.

Carried out by GreenViet Centre since 2020, the project has so far achieved goals as scheduled. 2023 is the final year of the project and many important activities will be held./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency