Law on anti-human trafficking needed, says Minister

Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong stressed the need to promulgate a law on the prevention and fight against human trafficking in the circumstance of human trafficking, especially in women and children has become more complex.

The Minister on October 25 made a report at the National Assembly’s on-going session in Hanoi,  adding that the law will have political significance, both domestically and externally, showing the strong determination of the Vietnamese Party and State in the fight against such crimes.

Minister Cuong also said the law would be considered as an important step in preparations for Vietnam to ratify the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (TOC) and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking of Persons, especially Women and Children.

The Draft Law on P revention and Fight against Human Trafficking has eight chapters with 51 articles, stipulating issues of regulations and orientations for works to prevent and fight against human trafficking.

Besides common regulations, the draft law also has measures to prevent and act against violations, protect and assist victims, and establishes a coordination mechanism among government agencies and international organisations.

It also includes education and dissemination of information to high-risk groups and State management, and management of residents, immigration, marriage and adoption with a foreign factor, and any other areas where human traffickers can take unfair advantage of people.

The Minister said that the Party and State have exerted many efforts in the fight against human trafficking by promulgating many legal documents to protect human rights, including the Law on Marriage and Family, the Penal Code, the Law on Gender Equality, the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control and the Ordinance on Prostitution Prevention and Control. Especially, the Prime Minister approved the Action Plan on preventing and combating the trafficking of women and children for the 2004-2010 period.

Many economic, social and dissemination measures have been taken in the community to contribute to fighting this crime and to help victims to reintegrate into the community.

In addition, Vietnam has boosted cooperation with other countries and international organisations like China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking (UNIAP) to carry out joint activities in this area. Vietnam has also signed bilateral cooperation agreements on fighting human trafficking with Cambodia, Thailand and China.

The Draft Law on P revention and Fighting against Human Trafficking is the first among nine laws to be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration at this session./.

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WB President: Vietnam uses WB capital effectively

World Bank President Robert Zoellick has said Vietnam was one of the countries using WB capital most effectively and the bank will continue to assist the nation in the coming time.

The WB leader made the statement while working with Vietnamese Planning and Investment Minister Vo Hong Phuc, who is on a five-day working visit to the US from Monday.

Zoellick praised Vietnam for its achievements in socio-economic development, implementation of Millennium Development Goals and poverty reduction.

Minister Phuc expressed thanks to the WB’s assistance to Vietnam over the past time and wished to continue to receive more helps from the world’s biggest development bank to implement its socio-economic development strategy and plan in the 2011-2015 period.

The two sides agreed to boost cooperation in the future, focusing on developing economic infrastructure and human resource, along with in raising institutional capacity, poverty reduction and healthcare and education support.

They also agreed to expand cooperation in cooping with climate change and boost Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the areas of energy and infrastructure.

The two sides discussed a plan to celebrate the 35th anniversary of ties between Vietnam and the WB in 2011.

During the current visit, the Vietnamese Minister also met with officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). During the meeting, they exchanged views on prospects of global economic development and Vietnam’s economy.

They also mentioned challenges to Vietnam’s economy in the future, especially when the country emerges as a nation with an average income.

Meeting with officials of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Minister Phuc spoke highly of USAID’s assistance to Vietnam over the past time, especially in HIV/AIDs control, implementing WTO commitments, raising competitive capacity and developing education and training.

Phuc asked the USAID to continue its assistance in those areas in parallel with expanding cooperation to other fields and facilitating US investors to take part in PPP projects in Vietnam.

He also had discussions with US enterprises under the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council and joined in investment promotion activities in Nevada and California states.

The Vietnamese Minister visited and had working sessions with Boeing and Microsoft.

During those working sessions, Minister Phuc introduced Vietnam’s investment climate, answered questions by US enterprises and discussed measure to solve difficulties facing US businesses operating in Vietnam.

Those meetings and discussions were aimed at boosting understanding and attracting investment into Vietnam.

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Vietnam, Central Africa cooperate in vocational training

Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (L) shakes hands with Kitichi-Kouamba, Minister and Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the Central African Republic, in Hanoi on August 21, 2010.

Photo: VNA

Vietnam and the Central African Republic (CAR) have agreed to cooperate in mining and building a pilot vocational training school of high quality in CAR.

The agreement was signed by Vietnamese Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Kitichi-Kouamba, Minister and Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the CAR, in Hanoi Saturday.

Under the agreement, Central African students and teachers will go to study in Vietnam’s vocational schools and Vietnamese experts will be sent to CAR to help improve technical capacity and operations of agencies in charge of national strategies on the vocational and technical training.

The two sides extended their wish that the agreement would be the first step marking cooperation between the two nations.

The MoLISA plans to send a delegation for a fact-finding tour in CAR.

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