Ethnic minority poverty target of new strategy

HA NOI — Sustainable poverty reduction for ethnic and mountainous areas should be an important task for the 2011-15 period, attendants at a conference in Ha Noi were told on Friday.

The function, held by the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA) in collaboration with the United Nations in Viet Nam, was aimed at recommending ways of reducing poverty.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council Ksor Phuoc estimated that the poverty rate in some communes and villages would increase to more than 60 per cent or even 70 to 75 per cent next year.

Giang Seo Phu, a member of the Party Central Committee and chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, said the rate of reduction for ethnic people was much slower than the national average.

"Life expectancy, nutrition and other aspects of their lives remain low. Without big challenges in strategies in the near future, most poor people in Viet Nam will still be in ethnic minority and mountainous areas," Su said.

He said Viet Nam had made remarkable achievements in hunger eradication and poverty alleviation. The poverty rate had fallen from 58.1 per cent in 1993 to 12.1per cent last year.

But there is steady progress. The poverty rate among ethnic minorities and people in mountain areas fell from 86 per cent in 1993 to about 31.2 per cent last year.

This was in part due to the National Target Prog-ramme for Poverty Reduction, the Programme for Socio-economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas in the 2006-10 period, the Programme for Rapid Sustainable Poverty Reduction in the 62 poorest districts and the policy on supporting ethnic groups facing extreme hardship.

John Hendra, UN resident co-ordinator, said if the ethnic problem was to be effectively addressed, new approaches had to be considered.

"Future poverty reduction is likely to be much more difficult, more complex and more costly," Hendra said.

He said poverty reduction among ethnic minority groups was culturally sensitive and specific targeting measures were necessary.

Hendra said ethnic minorities would continue to need extra support through national poverty reduction programmes and more attention in key sectoral policies, including health, education, water and sanitation and nutrition.

"In addition, creating opportunities for employment and integration in the market economy is just as important for sustainable poverty reduction," he said.

Tran Van Thuat, former director of CEMA's Ethnic Policy Department, said poor people should be classified into different groups to make intervention more effective. — VNS

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Poverty reduction efforts continue in hills

A workshop opened in Hanoi on Dec. 3 to discuss solutions for rapid and sustainable poverty reduction in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the 2011-2015 period.

Addressing the workshop, Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Giang Seo Phu said the rate of poverty reduction for ethnic minority people was much slower than the national average poverty reduction rate and different ethnic groups had not benefited equally from economic growth, while life expectancy, nutrition and other aspects of the life of the majority of ethnic minority groups remained very low.

“This alerts us to the fact that without big changes in the poverty reduction strategies of the country, in the near future, the majority of poor people in Vietnam will still be those in ethnic minority and mountainous areas,” he added.

The experience of poverty amongst different ethnic minority groups is extremely diverse, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam John Hendra said, adding that culturally sensitive and context specific targeting measures will increasingly be necessary in order to reduce poverty further, to achieve economic, social and cultural development and to efficiently use allocated financial resources.

After nearly two decades of implementing hunger elimination and poverty reduction policies, the number people living in poverty has been significantly reduced, yet the remaining poor people are mainly ethnic minority people and people living in mountainous areas.

The poverty rate in ethnic minority and mountainous areas remains high – 31.2 percent in 2009 against the national poverty rate of 12 percent.

Research showed that people living in ethnic minority and mountainous areas are vulnerable to risks related to economic crises and climate change. Rapid and sustainable poverty reduction for ethnic minority and mountainous areas is therefore an important task for the 2011-2015 period.

The national poverty rate in Vietnam decreased from 58.1 percent in 1993 to below 12 percent in 2009, and the poverty rate of ethnic minority and mountainous areas from 86 percent in 1993 to around 31.2 percent in 2009.

The workshop, jointly held by the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and the United Nations in Vietnam, discussed challenges in ensuring rapid and sustainable poverty reduction, social security assistance, vulnerability of ethnic minorities to market influences and to the impacts of climate change, and directions for development of ethnic minority human resources for sustainable poverty reduction./.

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VUFO celebrates 60 years of service

People’s diplomacy for of peace, solidarity, friendship and aid from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has created breakthroughs and a social, public foundation for the relationship between Vietnam and other countries and peoples, said the head of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO).

VUFO President Vu Xuan Hong made this statement on the outstanding results over the past 60 years of the construction and development of VUFO as an external relations agency of the Party and State.

In a letter sent to a conference on the establishment of the Vietnam World Peace Protection Committee on Nov. 17, 1950, Uncle Ho affirmed the Vietnamese people’s ardent desire for peace and their noble task in protecting world peace.

The inauguration of the Vietnam World Peace Protection Committee and friendship associations and the Committee of Solidarity with Foreign Countries has reflected the clear-sighted vision of the Party and Uncle Ho on the important and unique role of people’s diplomatic organizations in each of Vietnam’s revolutionary periods, said Hong.

Hence, Nov. 17 has become the traditional anniversary day of the VUFO, he said.

In the context of national integration and the renewal process, VUFO has fulfilled its task in the fields of peace, solidarity, friendship, cooperation, keeping contact with old friends and developing relationships with new partners to set up a network of friends understanding, uniting with and helping Vietnam.

Talking about the role of people’s diplomacy in the new situation, the VUFO leader said that VUFO’s mission aims to help people worldwide understand Vietnam.

Apart from the role in national liberation, external relations have an increasingly important position in mobilising foreign NGOs in national socio-economic development, Hong said.

According to VUFO President Hong, foreign NGOs operating in various fields in Vietnam have made significant contributions to directly supporting and helping humanitarian aid projects, overcoming the aftermath of the war and engaging in sustainable development.

Boasting achievements in hunger eradication and poverty reduction worldwide, NGOs have provided not only financial assistance but also diversified experiences in building hunger eradication and poverty reduction models.

Vietnamese people have effectively used this aid source and the effective application of various hunger eradication and poverty reduction models in the nation have been recognized in the world.

In addition, NGOs have experience as well as scientific and technological expertise to help Vietnam in clearing bombs, landmines and unexploded ordnances (UXO) in war-devastated provinces and also help people injured in the war.

Over the past 10 years, NGOs have provided around 1.3 billion USD to Vietnamese people in non-refundable aid. This is a significant source for the most disadvantaged, poorest and most remote areas in Vietnam, stressed Hong.

The aid, which has a direct impact on the country’s socio-economic development and other fields, has increased, reaching 275 million USD in 2009 and is expected to reach around 300 million USD this year, said the VUFO leader.

A VUFO traditional house was inaugurated on Nov. 16 at No. 105 Quan Thanh Street, Hanoi, on the occasion of its 60th traditional day./.

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Foreign NGOs praised for contributions to Vietnam

Foreign non-government organisations (NGOs) have made practical contribution to Vietnam’s hunger elimination and poverty reduction and development, said the President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO).

VUFO’s President Vu Xuan Hong stated this at a ceremony to honour contributions of foreign NGOS in Vietnam. VUFO presented its certificates of merit to 109 organisations on the occasion.

Foreign NGOs have granted nearly 1.7 billion USD as non-refundable aid to Vietnam over the past ten years, focusing on such areas as economics, health care, education and hunger eradication and poverty alleviation. They have also helped Vietnam deal with post-war consequences, natural disasters and social evils, President Hong said.

He noted that over 700 NGOs operating in Vietnam have actively contributed to expanding the friendship and cooperative relations between Vietnam and countries worldwide.

On the occasion, 61 NGOs pledged 157 million USD to help the country in poverty reduction in 2011.

Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan along with representatives from relevant ministries, agencies and organisations attended the event./.

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FAO pledges more assistance to Vietnam

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will continue to assist Vietnam in poverty reduction and sustainable agriculture production, FAO Representative in Vietnam Yuriko Shoji said.

Currently, apart from helping Vietnam to assure food security in remote areas and those affected by the impact of climate change, FAO has been helping Vietnam to establish food security law, she said.

Praising Vietnam’s efforts in reaching the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) in poverty reduction and food security, especially graduating from being a recipient of food assistance to the solid position of a food exporting country, the FAO official also said she believed that with sound planning, investment and programme management, Vietnam would succeed in ensuring food security for all its people.

At a ceremony to mark 30 years of World Food Day (Oct. 16) in the midland province of Phu Tho on Oct. 11, Yuriko Shoji said this year’s topic is “United against hunger” and she called for joint efforts from individuals, agencies and countries throughout the world towards hunger eradication and poverty reduction.

FAO has reported that about one billion people, or one sixth of the world’s population, are starving.

Natural disasters and diseases, together with financial crisis, have pushed world food prices up, leading to the increasing number of starving people, according to FAO.

In the context that cultivated land is becoming more scarce, food production will have to increase by 75 percent in order to meet food demand for nine billion people in 2050, the organisation warned.

As a result, FAO General Director Jacques Diouf stressed the necessity of expanding food production to meet future demand.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, Vietnam, a country with 70 percent of its population living in rural areas, has made efforts to ensure an adequate food supply for the population which is increasing by one million people every year.

Being a rice export country, Vietnam does not have to cope with food shortages. However, its agricultural production in recent years is facing hardship due to natural disasters, diseases, climate change and a reduced area of agricultural land, Thu said.

Increasing food prices also lead to higher vulnerability among particular groups of people, especially in the areas of high poverty and malnutrition rate, she added.

The General Statistics Office reported that in the first nine months of the year, more than 2.65 million people, living mainly in the northern midland and mountainous areas, are starving.

Vietnam seeks further FAO assistance in agriculture production, especially in a new rural development programme in the future, Thu said.

To develop sustainable agriculture, a food security plan developed by the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development and Natural Resources and Environment put forward a target of maintaining 3.8 million ha of land for agricultural production by 2030.

The ministries also help farmers develop food production cooperatives, with priority given to rice growing areas, together with increasing investment in infrastructure./.

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Stone plateau joins global geopark network

The Dong Van stone plateau in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang has been admitted to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network (GGN), said an official.

Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Nguyen Thanh Son said at a press conference in Hanoi on Oct. 8 that the move would help attract more tourists to the plateau, creating favourable conditions for the province to speed up socio-economic development, as well as hunger eradication and poverty reduction.

Son, who is also Deputy Foreign Minister, said a total of 77 geoparks in 24 countries worldwide had been recognised as members of the GGN, including two in Southeast Asia - the Dong Van stone plateau and a geopark in Malaysia .

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Dam Van Bong said the GGN accession will bring both opportunities and challenges to Ha Giang province.

Local authorities will spare no efforts to ensure sustainable development, preserve heritage values of the plateau and improve the skills of its managers while increasing public awareness.

The province will build the geopark into a new model of sustainable development, combined with hunger elimination and poverty reduction and fulfillment of its obligations as a GGN member, Bong said.

Chief Representative of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi Katherine Muller Marin said, after joining the GGN, the Dong Van plateau will become one of the most outstanding images in Vietnam , along with Ha Long Bay. The plateau will help promote Vietnam ’s image to the world and local people will benefit most from the recognition, she said.

The plateau, which was officially named as a GGN member on Oct. 3, covers 2,350 sq.km in Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac districts, and is 1,400-1,600 m above sea level.

Preliminary statistics show the plateau is home to a host of features connected with the earth’s landforms and the processes that shape them, with 45 geomorphologic and 33 tectonic heritages, many of them rating international and national significance. It also boasts a broad range of fossils of thousands of species of ancient creatures from 400-600 million years ago.

Approximately 250,000 people belonging to 17 ethnic minority groups are living on the plateau./.

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ADB poverty reduction project benefits 350,000

A total of 350,000 people in the central region of Vietnam have benefited from a poverty reduction project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The US$76 million project, with $43.09 million from ADB, was carried out in 153 communes and 12 districts in the three central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue and the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum.

Bui Quang Vinh, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, underlined the significance of the project in hunger eradication and poverty reduction in Vietnam, especially in the central region, at a meeting in Hanoi on Friday.

The project - jointly implemented by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and ADB - has brought practical results, helping improve people’s living standards and reducing poverty rate in localities, he said.

Vu Viet Long, director of the project’s center, said the project has reached most of its targets, contributing to raising household income thanks to the development of new kinds of business, productivity improvements, and a decrease in the number of poor households.

In 2005, the number of poor households in the targeted areas of Quang Binh province stood at 70.53 percent, which dropped to 41.4 percent in 2008 while the figures in Quang Tri province were 61.5 percent and 34.5 percent, Thua Thien-Hue 38.08 percent and 19.3 percent and Kon Tum 64.28 percent and 38.28 percent, respectively, he said.

The project built and upgraded 300 irrigation works for 2,400 hectares of agricultural land and provided new cultivation technologies for farmers, helping improve productivity by about 1.5 times.

Also, the project has put a lot of investment into upgrading rural infrastructure systems. About 570 km of road was built with each commune gaining 3.7km of road, the director said.

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ADB poverty reduction project helps 350,000

A total of 350,000 people in the central region of Vietnam have benefited from a poverty reduction project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The 76 million USD project, with 43.09 million USD from ADB, was carried out in 153 communes and 12 districts in the three central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue and the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum .

In Hanoi on September 24, Bui Quang Vinh, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, underlined the significance of the project in hunger eradication and poverty reduction in Vietnam , especially in the central region.

The project - jointly implemented by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and ADB - has brought practical results, helping improve people’s living standards and reducing poverty rate in localities, he said.

Vu Viet Long, director of the project’s centre, said the project has reached most of its targets, contributing to raising household income thanks to the development of new kinds of business, productivity improvements, and a decrease in the number of poor households.

In 2005, the number of poor households in the targeted areas of Quang Binh province stood at 70.53 percent, which dropped to 41.4 percent in 2008 while the figures in Quang Tri province were 61.5 percent and 34.5 percent, Thua Thien-Hue 38.08 percent and 19.3 percent and Kon Tum 64.28 percent and 38.28 percent, respectively, he said.

The project built and upgraded 300 irrigation works for 2,400 ha of agricultural land and provided new cultivation technologies for farmers, helping improve productivity by about 1.5 times.

Also, the project has put a lot of investment into upgrading rural infrastructure systems. About 570 km of road was built with each commune gaining 3.7km of road, the director said./.

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Vietnam gains impressive poverty reduction

Vietnam has gained impressive achievements in implementing the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on poverty reduction, said a UN representative.

At a press briefing on Vietnam ’s MDGs implementation in Hanoi on September 20, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam John Hendra said that among all MDGs, Vietnam has made the most impressive progress in the MDG on poverty reduction (MDG1), reducing the poverty rate from 58.1 percent in 1990 to 14.5 percent in 2008.

The number of hungry households dropped by two thirds from 24.9 percent in 1993 to 6.9 percent in 2008, he said.

The country has also made remarkable progress in primary education with the rate of children entering primary schools reaching 97 percent, he said, adding that 88.5 percent of pupils have completed their five-year primary education, of whom over 90 percent continue higher education.

The rate of women joining economic activities is estimated to reach 83 percent in 2010.

At present, Vietnam is one of the region’s leading countries in women’s participation in the parliament with 25.8 percent of NA deputies being women.

The UN official spoke highly of the Vietnamese government’s commitments and efforts through the integration of MDGs into the country’s socio-economic development plans, building development policies for the poor and creating more jobs for labourers.

However, he also stressed that to maintain those achievements, Vietnam should define and address disparities arising from the development process and anticipate possible risks.

According to John Hendra, while the country has reached or is on the way to fulfil almost all MDGs, the goal on HIV (MDG6) is likely to be out of reach by 2015 if access to services is not improved remarkably, especially for groups at high risks.

The Vietnamese government’s budget commitment for HIV prevention at national and local levels needs to be strengthened and focus on preventive measures, ensuring the sustainability of prevention activities, he said.

Regarding education and training, the UN representative said that Vietnam should ensure poor people’s access to educational services and encourage families to invest more in the education of their children, especially girls./.

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WB launches another poverty reduction project

The project on poverty reduction in northern mountainous provinces launched its second phase on Thursday in Hanoi with US$150 million in loans from the World Bank.

The $165 million project will be carried out from 2010-2015 in more than 2,300 villages in the six provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien and Lai Chau.

The project aims to improving living conditions of local people by raising access to infrastructure, the institutional capacity of local authorities, the output of local communities, market connectivity and business initiatives.

The WB’s Director in Vietnam, Victoria Kwakwa, hailed Vietnam’s achievements in poverty reduction, saying that she hoped the project will continue to contribute to the country.

The Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh, said the rate of poor households in the six targeted provinces is high, from 23-30 percent compared to the national average of just over 11 percent.

Therefore, the WB’s assistance to the project will help Vietnam meet its UN millennium development goals on poverty reduction by 2015, he said.

With $130 million, the first phase of the project, in six northern mountainous provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Son La, Bac Giang and Phu Tho, has made a significant contribution to improving the local residents’ standard of living.

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WB launches another poverty reduction project

The project on poverty reduction in northern mountainous provinces launched its second phase on Thursday in Hanoi with US$150 million in loans from the World Bank.

The $165 million project will be carried out from 2010-2015 in more than 2,300 villages in the six provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien and Lai Chau.

The project aims to improving living conditions of local people by raising access to infrastructure, the institutional capacity of local authorities, the output of local communities, market connectivity and business initiatives.

The WB’s Director in Vietnam, Victoria Kwakwa, hailed Vietnam’s achievements in poverty reduction, saying that she hoped the project will continue to contribute to the country.

The Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh, said the rate of poor households in the six targeted provinces is high, from 23-30 percent compared to the national average of just over 11 percent.

Therefore, the WB’s assistance to the project will help Vietnam meet its UN millennium development goals on poverty reduction by 2015, he said.

With $130 million, the first phase of the project, in six northern mountainous provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Son La, Bac Giang and Phu Tho, has made a significant contribution to improving the local residents’ standard of living.

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WB launches another poverty reduction project

The project on poverty reduction in northern mountainous provinces launched its second phase on September 9 in Hanoi with 150 million USD in loans from the World Bank.

The 165 million USD project will be carried out from 2010-2015 in more than 2,300 villages in the six provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien and Lai Chau.

The project aims to improving living conditions of local people by raising access to infrastructure, the institutional capacity of local authorities, the output of local communities, market connectivity and business initiatives.

The WB’s Director in Vietnam , Victoria Kwakwa, hailed Vietnam ’s achievements in poverty reduction, saying that she hoped the project will continue to contribute to the country.

The Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh, said the rate of poor households in the six targeted provinces is high, from 23-30 percent compared to the national average of just over 11 percent.

So, the WB’s assistance to the project will help Vietnam meet its UN millennium development goals on poverty reduction by 2015, he said.

With 130 million USD, the first phase of the project, in six northern mountainous provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Son La, Bac Giang and Phu Tho, has made a significant contribution to improving the local residents’ standard of living./.

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UN official pushes poverty reduction efforts in VN

Vietnam should make more efforts to ensure sustainability of poverty reduction achievements it has made during the past 20 years, said a UN official.

At a press briefing on August 31 after her nine-day working visit to Vietnam, UN Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty Magdalena Sepulveda praised Vietnam’s plan to build a new social security strategy for the 2011-2020 period.

She noted that to make the strategy effective, the government needs to ensure its comprehensiveness and integration with other social policies as well as its funding.

She also called for further support from donors and international community for Vietnam’s response to climate change as it is a big challenge to Vietnam.

It is necessary to add financial support relating to climate change to the official development assistance that Vietnam is receiving, the expert said.

During her stay in Vietnam, from August 23, Sepulveda was received by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem and visited several disadvantaged localities in Bac Kan and Quang Nam provinces and Hanoi./.

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UN rights activist praises work on reducing poverty

HA NOI — A UN independent expert on human rights and extreme poverty spoke highly of the impressive progress Viet Nam has made in poverty reduction during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem in Ha Noi yesterday.

Magdalena Sepulveda told Khiem, who is also Foreign Minister, of the challenges Viet Nam has ahead in terms of poverty reduction and other issues of concern that fall within her field of expertise.

Challenges remained but it was important that Viet Nam was aware of them and had shown determination to solve them, said the UN rights expert.

During the meeting, Khiem reiterated Viet Nam's unwavering policy to ensure human rights. "Vietnamese citizens have the right to live in independence and freedom, and the right to self-determination," said Khiem.

He added that the struggle for national independence and freedom was for this purpose.

"The Vietnamese Government is resolved to constantly improve the exercising of human rights through upgrading the legal system as well as working out and implementing concrete policies and measures to increase people's participation," Khiem said.

He also highlighted Viet Nam's success in poverty reduction, which has been recognised by the international community, including the UN.

The country has managed to meet the Millennium Development Goals by cutting the poverty rate in half 10 years ahead of schedule. Viet Nam reduced the poverty rate from 60 per cent in 1993 to less than 30 per cent in 2002 and just 10 per cent currently.

Khiem said many of Viet Nam's successful experiences had shown the Government's determination and firm guidelines, the sense of responsibility among local authorities and participation by the people.

The success had been partially prompted by the international community's strong assistance, he said.

Sepulveda is scheduled to conclude her nine-day Viet Nam visit on August 31.—VNS

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ADB notes Vietnam’s poverty reduction experience

Vietnam has reaped worthy experiences in the fight against poverty that other countries can learn from, said a senior official from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

ADB Vice President Lawrence Green Wood made the remark at his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem in Hanoi on Thursday.

Wood is here for the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Ministerial Conference.

Describing Vietnam’s socio-economic development successes as very impressive, the ADB official also expressed his delight that the ADB has contributed its part to these successes.

The ADB executive said his institution wants to boost cooperation with Vietnam in projects covering power generation and transmission and construction of subways in the capital city of Hanoi and the country’s economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City.

He noted that ADB is always a partner to ASEAN during the latter’s development and integration process and supports the group’s plan of shaping up the ASEAN Community by 2015.

Calling for Vietnam’s contribution to the infrastructure construction fund for ASEAN, the ADB thanked Vietnam for early preparations for the ADB’s annual meeting in the country in 2011.

For his part, Khiem said he was pleased with the close and effective cooperation between Vietnam and the regional financial institution.

He took the opportunity to thank the institution for assisting Vietnam practically and efficiently in poverty reduction, infrastructure construction and policy-making projects.

“That valuable assistance has contributed productively to Vietnam’s socio-economic development,” Khiem stressed.

He briefed his guest on the country’s efforts to reform administrative procedures and raise the efficiency of the use of ADB’s loans.

Vietnam is proud of what it has achieved in the fight against poverty and ensuring social welfare for its people and is willing to share experiences in the fields with other countries, Khiem told the ADB official.

He said he believed that with experiences drawn from the organization of numerous international events, Vietnam will work to make ADB’s annual meeting in 2011 successful.

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ADB notes Vietnam’s poverty reduction experience

Vietnam has reaped worthy experiences in the fight against poverty that other countries can learn from, said a senior official from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

ADB Vice President Lawrence Green Wood made the remark at his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem in Hanoi on August 19.

Wood is here for the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Ministerial Conference.

Describing Vietnam ’s socio-economic development successes as very impressive, the ADB official also expressed his delight that the ADB has contributed its part to these successes.

The ADB executive said his institution wants to boost cooperation with Vietnam in projects covering power generation and transmission and construction of subways in the capital city of Hanoi and the country’s economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City .

He noted that ADB is always a partner to ASEAN during the latter’s development and integration process and supports the group’s plan of shaping up the ASEAN Community by 2015.

Calling for Vietnam ’s contribution to the infrastructure construction fund for ASEAN, the ADB thanked Vietnam for early preparations for the ADB’s annual meeting in the country in 2011.

For his part, Deputy PM Khiem said he was pleased with the close and effective cooperation between Vietnam and the regional financial institution.

He took the opportunity to thank the institution for assisting Vietnam practically and efficiently in poverty reduction, infrastructure construction and policy-making projects.

“That valuable assistance has contributed productively to Vietnam ’s socio-economic development,” Deputy PM Khiem stressed.

He briefed his guest on the country’s efforts to reform administrative procedures and raise the efficiency of the use of ADB’s loans.

Vietnam is proud of what it has achieved in the fight against poverty and ensuring social welfare for its people and is willing to share experiences in the fields with other countries, Khiem told the ADB official.

He said he believed that with experiences drawn from the organisation of numerous international events, Vietnam will work to make ADB’s annual meeting in 2011 successful./.

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