The Swiss Government has pledged to dole out nearly 6.6 million USD in non-refundable aid to help Vietnam improve public services in agriculture and rural development.
A document underscoring the assistance was signed in Hanoi on December 11 between Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat and Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Jean-Hubert Lebet.
The two-year project, starting in 2008, is geared to ameliorate
the living conditions of the locals, ensure food security and sustainable development, targeting the two northern provinces of Hoa Binh and Cao Bang.
According to Minister Phat, Hoa Binh and Cao Bang are home to a large number of ethnic people, who have been living in difficult condition. A majority of them has not yet got full access to public services, particularly in agriculture.
Since its inception in Vietnam in 1994, the Swiss Development Cooperation Agency has helped the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development implement five projects on agro-forestry in mountainous provinces with a total budget of 25.5 million USD.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has completed a study on urban development in Hanoi, which points out major strategic orientations for comprehensive development in Hanoi by 2020, vision 2030.
Addressing the handover of Reports on the Comprehensive Urban Development Programme in Ha Noi Capital City (HAIDEP) on December 11, Nakagawa Hiroaki, Resident Representative of JICA Viet Nam Office, said that his agency has proposed many strategies and action plans to manage urban growth appropriately for Hanoi City.
He particularly stressed on two strategies, namely developing new urban area with urban mass transportations and strengthening the values of Hanoi City featured by “Water”, “Green” and “Culture”.
Nguyen Van Khoi, Vice Chairman of the Ha Noi Municipal People’s Committee, said HAIDEP’s goal is to establish a comprehensive masterplan, ensuring sustainable development of the capital city.
HAIDEP was conducted from December, 2004 to March, 2007 in Hanoi, and its surrounding area, in a radius of 50km. The programme includes the urban development project, and three supporting components: the urban transportation project, the urban water supply and sanitary improvement project and residential area improvement project.
Soldiers from the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum’s Military Command have successfully defused a bomb weighing 750 pounds (340.5 kg).
Construction workers discovered the unexploded bomb, which is coded M117A1 and contains 368 kg of Tritonat explosive, while building walls around a primary school in Dak Tram Commune, Dak To District.
The antipersonnel device is believed to have been released by US troops during the war.
The province’s soldiers are conducting bomb and mine clearance at the project site to ensure safety for workers as well as pupils.
The Danish Government has committed 37 million USD in aid to help improve agricultural development in rural and mountainous areas of Vietnam.
A document to this effect was signed in Hanoi on December 11.
The 2007-2012 project will help the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development study and make policies aimed at ensuring sustainable development for rural and mountainous areas.
It also helps manage natural and human resources and train local farmers on agricultural production skills, particularly ethnic minority people, chiefly in the five mountainous provinces of Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dac Lak and Dac Nong.
Addressing the signing ceremony, Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Peter Lysholt Hansen stressed that the implementation of the project will be beneficial to people in rural and mountainous areas, particularly the poor, ethnic minority people and women.
More than 300 delegates from 26 countries and territories attended the 10th International Conference on Asian Digital Libraries (ICADL) in Hanoi on December 11.
Viet Nam hosted the 10th ICADL, themed “Asian digital libraries: Looking Back 10 Years and Forging New Frontiers,” with the aim of strengthening cooperation and exchanging ideas among worldwide digital library experts.
Participants presented nearly 100 scientific reports and discussed new matters of digital library technologies.
They also exchanged experiences in tackling difficulties in archives processing. They worked out orientations for digital library activities in coming years.
President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) Pham The Duyet has extended his seasonal greetings to Christians and Protestants nationwide.
The leader of the largest mass organisation in Vietnam extolled the active contributions by Christian and Protestant communities to the national construction.
He expressed his belief that the religious morality combined with the moral traditions of the Vietnamese nation will constitute a solid foundation for the Catholic and Protestant people to build a beautiful life and strengthen the national unity.
“We pray peace for the nation and security for the people, as well as affirm determination to strive for wealthy people, a strong country and an equal, democratic and civilised society," Duyet said.
VinaSoy recently pledged to continue to supply nutritious soybean milk for school pupils in Vietnam’s poor provinces.
The soybean programme has run for six consecutive years in schools in central Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Ngai provinces. Funding comes from VinaSoy and the US Agriculture Department through the Red Cross Associations of both countries.
David Merze, deputy chairman of the US Red Cross applauded the programme’s work saying that consumption of VinaSoy products is a good way to improve students’ health.
Local peace activists and foreigners who are studying and working in Ha Noi performed at a charity show on December 10 to raise money for disabled children.
Opening the programme, President of the Ha Noi Union of the Friendship Associations Tran Thi Bich Thuy stressed that peace and friendship are the aspiration of human kind, especially people of Hanoi which was recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as the city of peace.
“We hope that the programme will help promote peace and passion and assistance to children and disadvantaged families,” she said.
The organising board donated 100 million VND for disabled and disadvantaged children and give homes to the city’s poor families.
(Source: VNA) | 
