Day: February 15, 2024

New York: Vietnam is committed to actively contributing to global efforts to maintain international peace and security through cooperation to address impact of climate change and food insecurity, Minister Counsellor and deputy head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations Nguyen Hoang Nguyen has said.

Addressing the UN Security Council’s high-level open debate on ‘Impact of Climate Crisis, Food Insecurity on Efforts to Achieve Peace, Development’ on February 14, Nguyen emphasised that poverty is both the root and a consequence of conflicts, while climate change is a factor that worsens food insecurity and increases threats to international peace and stability.

The UN Security Council needs and can do more to break the vicious cycle of climate change, food insecurity and conflicts, he stated.

First, the council needs to promote its role in preventing conflicts, take a more comprehensive and balanced approach between traditional and non-traditional security threats. Second, it is necessar
y to strengthen consultation and coordination with UN agencies, relevant mechanisms and initiatives at the international, regional and national levels to promptly handle security risks from climate change and food insecurity. And third, it is also important to ensure compliance with international law and the UN Charter in conflicts, the Vietnamese representative said.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres underscored that climate chaos and food crises are serious and mounting threats to global peace and security and, as such, should be addressed by the Security Council.

Participants called on global cooperation, including in further promoting the role of the UN and its Security Council, to ease impact of climate change and food insecurity, especially in conflict-hit countries and regions./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue on February 15 spoke highly of the significant contributions by the banking sector in general and the Co-operative Bank of Vietnam (Co-opBank) in particular to national achievements in 2023.

In a New Year visit to the Hanoi-based bank, the leader hailed the banking sector’s performance in digital transformation and cashless payment, as well as its contributions to perfecting the legal system.

Last year, Co-opBank served nearly 1,200 people’s credit funds with a total asset of 181.73 trillion VND (7.43 billion USD), and charter capital of 6.99 trillion VND, covering 57 out of the 63 cities and provinces nationwide, with more than 1.7 million members.

Mentioning socio-economic targets set for 2024 and the 2021-2025 tenure, Hue noted that the banking sector plays a crucial role in the national economy and monetary security.

He asked the sector to improve its forecasting and analysing capacity, keep a close watch on the regional and global economy,
especially energy price developments, to make and manage monetary policies suitably, and ensure the harmony between reducing interest rates and stabilising exchange rates.

The sector needs to step up its inspections and supervisions to keep the monetary and credit markets stable and boost the administrative reform, he said, stressing the hard task lies with how to ensure capital for production and business without lower credit standards.

The top legislator urged Co-opBank to raise its operational efficiency, thus fulfilling its political tasks assigned under the Party’s policies, and the revised Law on Cooperatives and the amended Law on Credit Institutions.

Co-opBank, formerly known as the Central People’s Credit Fund, was established to implement the Party and State’s policies on developing a new cooperative credit model, contributing to poverty reduction and agricultural and rural development. It mainly serves small- and medium-sized enterprises, households and farmers./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held a Lunar New Year (Tet) meeting with heads of the NA Council for Ethnic Affairs, NA committees, and NA Standing Committee’s boards as well as officials and employees of the NA Office on February 15, or the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Addressing the event, NA Chairman Hue highlighted achievements of the NA in 2023 and the first month of 2024, including the successful organisation of the NA’s fifth extraordinary session, during which many important issues were decided, including the approval of the Land Law (revised) and Law on Credit Institutions (revised).

Right before the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, the NA Standing Committee adopted two resolutions, he added, hailing the efforts and contributions of all officials and employees of the NA Office to the success.

He underlined that in 2024, all sectors and agencies should work harder to complete all plans and targets set in the 13th National Party Congress’s Resolution, and asked all official
s and employees of the NA Office to promptly implement their tasks right from the beginning of the year.

It is necessary to continue building a NA with higher professionalism, promoting democracy, enhancing the rule of law, and following the breath of life to meet the requirements of reality, ensuring that all activities of the NA are for the ultimate goal of national interests, and all decisions given by the NA have the people and businesses at their centre, NA Chairman Hue stressed.

NA General Secretary and Chairman of the NA Office Bui Van Cuong affirmed the determination of the NA Office to promptly implement its assigned tasks, ensuring the quality of law-building and supervision activities, and preparing for the NA Standing Committee’s meetings and the 7th session of the 15th NA./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting of permanent Government members on February 15, the first working day after the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, to review this year’s Tet situation and launch some focal tasks.

Officials reported that ministries, sectors, and localities cared for people’s material and spiritual lives by properly implementing social security policies along with activities of gratitude to war invalids, families of war martyrs, and revolution contributors. Tet gifts and assistance worth over 7.76 trillion VND (317.4 million USD) were presented to more than 13.9 million people of target groups.

The supply of Tet goods, especially the essentials, was abundant with ensured quality and stable prices, tourism continued to flourish, while many construction sites and factories sustained activities throughout Tet to speed up progress, they said, adding that public health care was also carried out well.

Participants also highlighted that traffic and transportation were basically sm
ooth with violations strictly handled, political security and national security firmly maintained, social order and safety guaranteed, and the rules on thrift practice and wastefulness prevention seriously implemented.

In addition, many cultural and festive activities deeply imbued with national identity have taken place in a civilised manner. All people welcomed Tet in a merry, sentimental, healthy, safe, and economical manner, officials noted.

They said during the seven-day holiday, the tourism sector recorded about 10.5 million domestic travelers, up 16.6% from the 2023 Tet, including some 3.5 million temporary tenants (up 75%). Some localities housing international terminals welcomed cruise tourists during Tet, a signal of a good year for the attraction of international visitors.

Applauding ministries, sectors, localities, agencies, and relevant units’ good performance of their tasks during Tet, PM Chinh particularly appreciated the forces staying on duty to safeguard the country’s independence, sovere
ignty, territorial integrity, and border; guarantee political stability and social order and safety; care for people’s health; and keep the environment clean.

He affirmed that under the leadership of the Party, led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and thanks to support from the National Assembly, the entire political system, people, businesses, and international friends, the Government organised a merry, healthy, safe, economical, and sentimental Tet for the people.

He demanded a directive of the PM be issued immediately to promote the implementation of post-Tet focal tasks.

In particular, the Government leader asked for continued efforts to step up production and business activities, create jobs and livelihoods for people, and ensure social security.

The PM ordered post-Tet festivals be held in a safe and civilised manner that brings into play the national identity, public health care promoted, and communications enhanced to fight distortions and sabotage allegations by hostile forces.

Besides, he
told ministries, sectors, and localities to coordinate closely and effectively to tackle difficulties facing people and businesses while pressing on with the perfection of regulations, mechanisms, and policies to mobilise every resource for national development./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

– State President Vo Van Thuong launched a New Year tree planting festival in Tuyen Quang city of the province of the same name on February 15, or the sixth day of the first lunar month.

The annual activity has been held on the Lunar New Year – the biggest festival in a year of Vietnamese people. Read full story

– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting of permanent Government members on February 15, the first working day after the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, to review this year’s Tet situation and launch some focal tasks.

Officials reported that ministries, sectors, and localities cared for people’s material and spiritual lives by properly implementing social security policies along with activities of gratitude to war invalids, families of war martyrs, and revolution contributors. Tet gifts and assistance worth over 7.76 trillion VND (317.4 million USD) were presented to more than 13.9 million pe
ople of target groups. Read full story

– National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held a Lunar New Year (Tet) meeting with heads of the NA Council for Ethnic Affairs, NA committees, and NA Standing Committee’s boards as well as officials and employees of the NA Office on February 15, or the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Addressing the event, NA Chairman Hue highlighted achievements of the NA in 2023 and the first month of 2024, including the successful organisation of the NA’s fifth extraordinary session, during which many important issues were decided, including the approval of the Land Law (revised) and Law on Credit Institutions (revised). Read full story

– The vibrant relations with Latin America have contributed to the successes of Vietnam’s diplomacy last year, according to an article ran by the El Popular (People) e-newspaper, the organ of the Communist Party of Uruguay.

The article highlighted the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Latin American nations, sayi
ng it made important, outstanding progress in the year. Read full story

– Ho Chi Minh City and Son La city in the northern mountainous province of the same name have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) as announced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on February 14.

They were among the 64 new members from 35 countries recognised by the organisation for their outstanding efforts to make lifelong learning a reality for all at the local level. Read full story

– Vietnam’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) recorded a return to growth in early 2024, driven by an improved economic outlook that led to an increase in new orders, S and P Global has reported.

S and P Global’s report said that in January, the country’s PMI reached 50.3 points from 48.9 points in December last year. The result indicated an improvement in the health of the manufacturing sector for the first time in the last five months. Read full story

– A strong rise was
seen in the number of foreign tourists in many localities across the country during the seven-day Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday from January 8-14, led by the central city of Da Nang with nearly 177,000 and Hanoi with nearly 103,000, reported the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).

The northern province of Ninh Binh welcomed nearly 100,000 visitors, while the central Quang Nam province served about 97,000 tourists, and the northern Quang Ninh province received nearly 90,000 travelers, according to the authority./. Read full story

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hailed the Audit State Office of Vietnam (SAV) for its contributions to the NA and the NA Standing Committee’s activities in lawmaking, supreme supervision and decision making during his visit to the SAV on February 15, the first working day after the Lunar New Year holiday.

Chairman Hue emphasised the significant outcomes of audit activities in strengthening financial discipline, improving managerial efficiency and optimising the use of public finances and assets. These efforts, he said, have played a crucial role in fighting corruption and negative practices.

Congratulating the SAV on its achievements in 2023, he urged its Party Civil Affairs Committee, Party Committee, and leaders to instill a spirit of emulation as the sector approaches its 30th founding anniversary this year.

Looking ahead, he highlighted the need to enhance the SAV’s role in ensuring that State agencies fulfill their accountability to the people. This responsibility extends to not
only centrally-run and State agencies but also local elected bodies at the grassroots level.

With stakeholders redoubling their efforts to achieve socioeconomic goals set for the 2021-2025 term, the SAV must closely follow the NA and NA Standing Committee’s working programmes to better serve them in lawmaking, supreme oversight and decision-making on critical national issues, he said.

According to him, it is imperative for the SAV to prioritise the completion of the task of reviewing the Law on State Audit by December 31, 2024 as planned.

Furthermore, the top legislator suggested the sector adhere to Party regulations, including the Regulation 131-QD/TW issued in October 2023 concerning the control of power, prevention and combat of corruption and negative phenomena in Party inspection and disciplinary enforcement, as well as in inspection and audit activities.

The SAV’s contingent of officials and employees must commit to continuous learning and upholding the highest standards of professionalism. By fulf
illing assigned tasks with integrity and expertise, the SAV can maintain the trust and expectations of the Party, State and people, he said./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency