Seventy paintings, graphic works and sculptures highlighting Hanoi’s vitality in various eras of the history will be showcased at an art exhibition held by the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (VNFAM) to mark the 70th anniversary of the capital city’s Liberation Day, the museum said on October 2.

Running from October 8 – 22, the exhibition will shed light on the city’s revolutionary spirit before 1945 as well as relive the memories of the heroic struggles for liberation of the local people and military through paintings of such renowned painters as Tran Dinh Tho, Cong Van Trung and Nguyen Quang Phong.

Furthermore, a Hanoi resplendent with flags and flowers on the liberation day comes alive with paintings “Hanoi Dem Giai Phong” (Hanoi’s Liberation Night) by Le Thanh Duc, “Pho Hang Duong” (Hang Duong Street) by Trinh Huu Ngoc and “Niem Vui Giai Phong” (The Joy of Liberation) by Tran Khanh Chuong.

The capital city’s resilience during wartime and its construction efforts is spotlighted through art work by Tran Binh Loc, Bui Xuan Phai, Phan Van Don and Vu Duy Nghia, among others.

Along with traditional display, the art work will be presented with modern technology, the museum said.

Woodblock printing activities and an art talk about painter Nguyen Tu Nghiem who connected traditional aesthetic values with contemporary art will be also held within the framework of the exhibition./.

PM urges drastic action for green transition

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on October 2 called for stronger determination and more drastic action to combat climate change, stressing that green transformation, energy transition, and greenhouse gas emission reduction are inevitable and irreversible trends.

Chairing the 5th session of the National Steering Committee tasked with delivering on Vietnam’s commitments made at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), PM Chinh, who is also its head, underscored the necessity of pooling global resources, green financing, and transferring technology and expertise.

Vietnam has emerged as a shining example in fulfilling its international commitments to combat climate change, he noted, adding that, the pledges made at COP26 have been swiftly integrated into legal documents, policies, strategies, and plans for coordinated implementation. This proactive approach has accelerated international cooperation in green development and energy transition, making Vietnam an increasingly attractive destination for foreign investors looking to engage in climate change mitigation and energy transition projects.

The PM urged the swift completion of institutional frameworks and mechanisms to pool resources, with a particular focus on public-private partnerships (PPP) for green growth.

He highlighted the need to accelerate scientific research, technological transfer, and innovation to advance Vietnam's renewable energy industry. This includes supporting industries and equipment for the production of renewable energy, biomass energy, green hydrogen, and green ammonia, and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage technologies.

At the same time, it is also necessary to build new governance models to manage green transition and green growth, and develop a circular economy while developing quality workforce equipped with the latest technological knowledge to achieve the nation's green transition and just energy transition goals.

Specific goals were assigned to relevant ministries and the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises to ensure coordinated and effective implementation.

Regarding the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) implementation, PM Chinh agreed in principle to approve the monitoring and evaluation framework for JETP, the list of priority projects, and eight specific projects under the partnership.

Addressing the Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) initiative, he acknowledged Japan's proactive efforts and asked ministries and agencies to prepare for specific projects./.

Decree promotes electronic payments in transport sector

The Government has just issued a decree on electronic payments for road traffic, effective from October 1.

To Nam Toan, from the Department for Roads of Vietnam (DRVN), said that the Law on Roads had separate regulations on electronic payments for road transport.

These include payment of fees, prices, and services related to the transport activities of road vehicles through transport accounts.

Regarding the electronic payment implementation model, the Ministry of Transport would build a database management system to share with service providers, said Toan.

Regarding the implementation of converting toll collection accounts to traffic accounts connecting non-cash payment means, while providing a roadmap, the DRVN has anticipated issues to ensure connection between service providers and non-cash payment means suppliers.

Currently, two providers of non-stop automatic toll collection were deploying this service, he said.

In particular, the Vietnam Digital Transport JSC (VDTC) under military-run telecom service provider Viettel has connected Viettel Pay wallet to the toll collection account.

Transferring money from the toll account to a non-cash payment method is enough to immediately convert the traffic account connected to the non-cash payment method.

In the future, other providers such as Visa can sign contracts with VETC, VDTC to connect payment methods and vehicle owners can choose Visa wallets to connect payments./.

International cooperation helps develop human resources for IC design in Vietnam

Vietnam targets training 50,000 engineers for the semiconductor industry by 2030, of them 15,000 for the design stage, Deputy Director of the National Innovation Centre (NIC) Vo Xuan Hoai has said.

Speaking at a seminar in Hanoi on October 1 on international cooperation in human resources development for integrated circuit (IC) design, Hoai said the training work, initiated and led by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), is being implemented by universities across the country.

The national socio-economic development strategy for 2021-2030 also highlights comprehensive human resources development, especially high-quality personnel training, and talent nurturing, he added.

To realise Vietnam's commitment to actively participating in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Government has identified high-tech fields, notably the semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) industries, which are expected to create breakthroughs and opportunities for domestic firms to engage more deeply in the global value chain.

As one of the fastest-growing digital economies in Southeast Asia, and with a strategic geopolitical position, a young and technology-savvy workforce, and modern infrastructure, Vietnam is attracting major global tech giants, especially in the semiconductor and AI sectors.

The Government and the MPI are committed to facilitating investment, business, and innovation activities by tech firms in Vietnam, Hoai emphasised.

The MPI highly values the comprehensive cooperation between the NIC and tech giants such as Qorvo, Cadence, Marvell, Siemens, and ARM, which focuses on not only training IC design engineers but also promoting research and development (R&D), thus forming a semiconductor ecosystem in Vietnam, he said. The NIC has recently signed cooperation agreements with Cadence, Qorvo, Marvell, Siemens, and others in R&D and human resources development, and providing scholarships in the semiconductor field./.

Foreign media outlet praises Sa Pa as a safe place to settle

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) of Hong Kong (China) recently published an article highlighting Sa Pa in Lao Cai province due to the area offering visitors natural beauty and cultural immersion.

Vietnam represents a popular holiday destination for residents of Hong Kong (China) as it is not far away, with Hanoi being only a two-hour flight from Hong Kong International Airport.

Situated 1,600 metres (one mile) above sea level in Lao Cai province in northern Vietnam, Sa Pa had always been difficult to get to for most, other than for the ethnic minority tribes that built rice terraces into its hillsides, author Erika Na wrote.

After the Hanoi-Lao Cai Expressway opened in 2014, downtown Sa Pa began to grow and is today a vibrant place full of guest houses, hotels, and businesses that cater to international tourists.

While a few of the ethnic-minority villages in the nearby valleys are known to be over-commercialised, others such as Lao Chai and Ta Phin remain more traditional, SCMP noted.

Foreign media outlet also shared that instead of swiping left and right on dating apps, locals gather at a square in Sa Pa every Saturday evening for the weekly “love market”. Through musical performances and games, young men and women have opportunities to get to know each other better, the goal being to find their life partners.

In little more than 100 years, the once inaccessible highlands, with their scattered settlements, have turned into a destination for tourists who come to immerse themselves in a more traditional way of life and to set foot on the roof of Indochina.

The opening of the railway from Hanoi in 1905 and of the expressway in 2014 were watershed moments in the growth of tourism in Sa Pa. A planned airport nearby will be another.

It makes visitors today wonder how the mist-shrouded town will look on their next visit, the article concluded.

Vietnam - a prime example of effective cooperation with UNESCO: Official

Vietnam stands as a prime example of effective collaboration and continuous nurturing of its relationship with UNESCO, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO Xing Qu told the Vietnam News Agency in Paris, ahead of Party General Secretary and State President To Lam’s working session with UNESCO on October 7.

Xing highlighted Vietnam's remarkable transformation from a recipient of international aid to a proactive contributor to UNESCO's collective efforts. Over the past two decades, the country has been entrusted to play key roles in five essential bodies of UNESCO, namely Vice President of the UNESCO General Conference starting in November 2023, member of the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2021-2025 term, member of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term, member of the Inter-Governmental Committee of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003 Convention) for the 2022-2026 term; and Vice President of the Inter-Governmental Committee of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for the 2021-2025 term. Additionally, Vietnam remains a trusted partner of UNESCO in proposing and launching initiatives aimed at enhancing the role and position of UNESCO in the new global context.

UNESCO will continue to work closely with Vietnam to achieve national priorities, he said, adding that it will help the country with resources and knowledge to update and implement its cultural policies and legal frameworks, hasten a series of flagship projects and best practices in public-private partnerships, and enhance the autonomy of women and youth.

In the realm of education, UNESCO is dedicated to ensuring equitable and inclusive quality education for all, promoting lifelong learning opportunities that are crucial in today's digital age.

Vietnam's strides in digital transformation, particularly in education, are noteworthy. The country is focusing on equipping its youth with critical thinking, creativity, and digital competencies, preparing them for a rapidly evolving job market.

To further accelerate Vietnam's green transition, UNESCO will lend its expertise in integrating sustainability and environmental protection into school curricula. By promoting eco-friendly teaching methods and encouraging practical conservation projects, it aims to empower the Vietnamese education community to develop ecological capacities across all stakeholders.

The official also expressed his organisation’s commitment to assisting Vietnam in culture, natural and social sciences, humanity, information and communications, and recovery from recent Typhoon Yagi.

UNESCO is ready to back Vietnam's candidacy within the organisation's frameworks, and improvement of institutional and human resource capacities for effective natural resource management. It will also assist in implementing its recommendations on open science, which are designed to promote sci-tech and innovation in service of sustainable national development through the International Hydrological Programme.

As part of this collaborative effort, the organisation will work closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and a team of experts to develop an ethical ecosystem for artificial intelligence (AI) in Vietnam, which aligns with the implementation of Vietnam's national AI strategy, he said./.

Vietnam affirms itself as active, responsible member of Francophone community

During his working trip from September 30 to October 7, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam will attend the 19th Francophonie Summit in France and pay an official visit to the European country at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Lam’s participation in the summit reaffirms Vietnam's role as a key, active, and responsible member in enhancing the image and presence of the Francophone community in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world.

Officially joining the International Organisation of La Francophone (OIF) in 1970, Vietnam has actively participated in various organisations within the community, and attended its summits since the very first one. It was elected to important positions of the organisation, such as Chair of the Permanent Council of the Francophone (CPF) in 1996, Chair of the Francophone Ministerial Conference (CMF) in the 1996-1997 tenure, Chair of the Francophone Summit for 1997-1998, Vice President of the CPF’s financial and administrative committee for 2009-2011 and 2011-2013, Chair of CPF’s cooperation and programme committee for 2013-2015, member of the executive council of the Association of Francophone Universities for 2013-2017, and Chair of the Network of Structures and Institutions in charge of Francophone in Asia-Pacific (RESIFAP) for 2013-2016.

Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Thi Hoang Mai was appointed by the OIF Secretary-General as head of the Francophone representative office in West Africa in September 2020. She is the first Asian person to head a regional OIF office overseas.

At the OIF, Vietnam has raised many initiatives to promote cooperation and enhance dialogue among its member countries in the community. The participation of high-ranking Vietnamese leaders in Francophone summits demonstrates the importance the country attaches to the Francophone community.

The most obvious imprint of Vietnam lied with the 7th Francophone Summit in Hanoi in November 1997, through which Vietnam made remarkable contributions to the institutionalisation of political activities, and promoting cooperation in economy, apart from politics, culture-language and education-training.

In March 2019, Vietnam for the first time held the celebration of International Francophone Day with the theme of “Couleurs Francophones” (Francophone Colours) to promote and introduce the community as well as its goals and values, and Vietnam’s role and contributions.

As Chair of the OIF’s economic committee, Vietnam successfully coordinated the drafting of the Francophone Economic Development Strategy for 2020-2025. The country was also the first stop of a Francophone business delegation in a series of activities to implement this strategy.

Most recently, on the sidelines of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting 2024 in Paris in May, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with OIF General-Secretary Louise Mushikiwabo.

The minister said Vietnam always support the OIF’s efforts in promoting cooperation for peace and development in the world, noting Vietnam will attend and actively contribute to the 19th Francophonie Summit slated for October in France.

Mushikiwabo stressed that the OIF attaches importance to Vietnam’s role and position in the Francophone community, and promised to help Vietnam enhance its economic, trade, investment and tourism ties with French-speaking countries in a sustainable manner.

The OIF will strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in spreading the language, and provide French language training for Vietnam's peacekeeping forces, she said, adding the organisation stands ready to admit Vietnamese officials to work at its Secretariat.

UNICEF hailed for effectively support to Việt Nam in child rights, child protection

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) of Việt Nam Nguyễn Thị Thanh has hailed the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for its effective support to Việt Nam in protecting the rights of the child and vulnerable groups in nearly 50 years.

In her reception in Hà Nội on October 2 for UNICEF Representative to Việt Nam Silvia Danailov, Thanh said that she is pleased to see the effective cooperation between UNICEF and the NA through specialised committees, contributing to the development of legal frameworks, policies and laws for sustainable development goals.

She affirmed the consistent policy of the Party and State of Việt Nam of attaching importance to economic development associated with social progress and justice, in which women and children are always given special attention.

After more than ten years of implementing the 2013 Constitution, the rights of the child in Việt Nam have become a part of human rights, helping concretise the rights of the child in accordance with international practices and the country's conditions. The NA has made progress in developing laws and policies to protect the rights of the child. The Child Law stipulated and supplemented 25 groups of the child rights, defining the responsibility of agencies, organisations, educational institutions, families and individuals in implementing the rights and duties of the child.

In addition, the rights of the child are also mentioned in laws that are expected to be approved, amended and supplemented in the coming time.

She said that in the context of rapid development of information technology and cyber activities, children are facing opportunities, difficulties and risks, especially bad information and negative effects of social platforms, particularly cross-border ones. Children are also affected by climate change and non-traditional security, she added.

Thanh said she believes under the leadership and management of Danailov, UNICEF in Việt Nam will continue making more contributions to building and promoting the rights of the child, women and vulnerable groups.

She hoped UNICEF would continue to accompany, support and coordinate with Việt Nam's relevant agencies and NA specialised committees to perfect institutions and legal regulations, address issues related to gender imbalance at birth, physical and mental health care for children, and malnutrition in children.

For her part, Danailov spoke highly of the Vietnamese NA's contributions to building the legal system on children, saying that she is ready to make more contributions to the activities, helping Vietnam in developing a child support plan in the socio-economic development plan for the coming time.

Commending Việt Nam's building the law on justice for minors with new regulations to the child rights, Danailov said that UNICEF has many experienced experts in this field, and is coordinating with relevant agencies to give opinions to complete the draft law.

At the same time, she suggested Việt Nam consider raising the age of children to harmonise with the international convention on the child.

She expressed her willingness to accompany and support Việt Nam in contributing to the development of child-related policy mechanisms. She said she hopes the NA will coordinate in organising activities to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Việt Nam's ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 50th anniversary of UNICEF's presence in Việt Nam in 2025. 

Việt Nam, South Africa strengthen traditional friendship, cooperation

A high-level delegation of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) led by Politburo member, Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for Internal Affairs Phan Đình Trạc paid a working visit to South Africa from September 22 to October 2.

During the visit, the delegation had meetings with leaders of political parties and the State of South Africa, including President of South Africa and President of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) Cyril Ramaphosa, Speaker of the South African National Assembly Thokozile Didiza, and General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) Solly Mapaila.

At these meetings, Trạc, who is also Standing Vice Chairman of the Central Steering Committee for Corruption and Negative Phenomena Prevention and Control and Standing Vice Chairman of the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform, said he believes that with its long tradition and the support of South African people, under the sound leadership of President and ANC President Ramaphosa, the ANC will continue to lead the government and people of South Africa to gain new successes, build a nation of peace, stability and development, and increasingly enhance its important role and position in the region and the world.

Expressing the desire to continue to consolidate, promote and deepen the relationship between the two Parties and two countries, Trạc suggested that the two sides increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level delegations. They should promote the exchange of information, leadership experience, Party building, and socio-economic development, while encouraging solidarity and friendship between political and social organisations of the two countries.

He also proposed signing cooperation documents between the two Parties, strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas where both sides have strengths and needs, such as agriculture, minerals, garment-textiles, and pharmaceuticals. They should continue to support each other at multilateral forums and international organisations. South Africa supports Vietnam in enhancing cooperation with the African Union (AU) and organisations of which South Africa is a member such as the Southern African Customs Union.

On this occasion, Trạc conveyed the invitation to visit Việt Nam from Vietnamese leaders to leaders of the Party and State of South Africa.

Meeting with ANC President and President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, Trạc affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam always attach importance to and pay attention to promoting friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with traditional countries in the African region, including the ANC and South Africa.

Ramaphosa expressed his admiration for the achievements of the đổi mới (Renewal) process, economic development, and improvement of people's life that Vietnam has achieved under the leadership of the CPV and wished to learn from Việt Nam's experience.

At the meeting with the Speaker of the South African NA Thokozile Didiza, both sides agreed to increase delegation exchanges, share experience in operation and law-making activities between the two NAs, and continue working closely and offering mutual support at regional and global inter-parliamentary mechanisms.

While their stay in South Africa, Trac and his entourage had a working session with ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula and held talks with ANC First Deputy Secretary General Nomvula Mokonyane, during which the two sides discussed achievements, difficulties and challenges in the process of economic development, national construction, Party building, and economic development.

The ANC leaders said they will soon send a delegation to Việt Nam to learn experience of the CPV, especially in Party building and socio-economic development.

At the meeting with SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila, Trạc also affirmed that the CPV treasures to strengthen the relationship with the SACP. Việt Nam appreciates the support of the SACP in promoting the relationship between the two states and people.

During their stay in South Africa, the delegation visited and had a working session with the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and met with the Vietnamese community in South Africa. 

Vietnam, Canada looks to enhance ties between legislative bodies

Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Duc Hai had courtesy meetings with Speaker of the Senate Raymonde Gagne and Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada Greg Fergus in Ottawa on October 1.

Hai is leading an NA delegation on a working visit to Canada to discuss cooperation in the new green economy, digital transformation, urban planning and management, and budgetary affairs to serve law making in Vietnam. The trip also aims to help boost ties between parliamentary agencies as well as mutual visits between the two countries.

At the meeting with Gagne, Hai said Vietnam treasures relations with Canada and wishes to join hands with the latter to promote the comprehensive partnership on the basis of mutual benefits, thus contributing to peace, stability, and prosperous development in Asia-Pacific and the world at large.

The Vietnamese official applauded Canada’s policy of enhancing cohesion with the world and the region, especially the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which shows the importance this North American nation attaches to the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He considered this as a favourable prerequisite for both sides to foster the bilateral relations.

Expressing her sympathy for Vietnamese people on the heavy impacts of Typhoon Yagi, Gagne noted Canada is one of the first countries to provide emergency aid, worth CAD560,000 (nearly US$415,200), to help residents in northern Vietnam to address consequences of the strongest storm in 70 years.

Talking with Fergus, Hai thanked Canada for assisting Vietnam to overcome the typhoon’s aftermath and called for more support in climate change response and help with increasing people’s living standards.

Fergus said he attaches importance to Canada’s comprehensive partnership with Vietnam and highly values the latter’s role in ASEAN.

He also appreciated contributions by the Vietnamese people in Canada, describing them as one of the model communities helping with cultural diversity in the country.

The bilateral relations have been growing well, especially in trade, which soon reached the revenue target of over US$10 billion. The figure stood at US$6.3 billion in the first seven months of 2024, up 9% year on year. In particular, Canada’s exports to Vietnam surged by over 26% during the period, statistics showed.

As a result, Canada has become one of the most important trading partners of Vietnam, ranking second in the Americas after the US. Meanwhile, Vietnam is the biggest trading partner of Canada in ASEAN and also a gateway for Canadian companies to enter Southeast Asian as well as Asia-Pacific.

Member of the House of Commons Shaun Chen, who is also Chairman of the Canada - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group, held that the two sides could bolster trade and improve existing cultural and social links, the core of which is the strength of the ties between the two nations' people, who have helped consolidate economic, cultural, and social bonds between the countries.

Vietnam makes great contributions to human development, sustainable growth

Vietnam is a key partner of the UN in general and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in particular with great contributions to human development and sustainable growth in recent years.

UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner told the Vietnam News Agency after Party General Secretary and State President To Lam’s recent US trip for the UN Summit of the Future and the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

Steiner said that the 45-year partnership between Vietnam and the UNDP has evolved through different phases in Vietnam, and this experience has helped shape UNDP's current Country Programme to meet Vietnam’s specific needs.

Over the years, bilateral cooperation has focused on major areas such as governance to increase transparency and digitalisation, the official noted.

He underlined that Vietnam’s active participation in multilateral forums is crucial to shaping inclusive global policies, and its partnership with the UNDP has also enhanced the country's leadership in addressing regional and international development priorities.

The administrator highlighted technology as another focal point in bilateral cooperation, noting that Vietnam and the UNDP are working together to ensure that technological developments drive economic growth while addressing social inequalities, with future technologies serving as a leverage for the realisation of sustainable and inclusive development goals.

Bilateral partnership also places an emphasis on green transformation initiatives, including promoting clean energy, protecting natural resources, strengthening resilience, and promoting nature-based tourism and a circular economy, he said, adding that an important aspect of this partnership is Vietnam’s support for the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

The UNDP stands ready to support Vietnam when the country is in need as in recent Typhoon Yagi, affirmed Steiner. It is working to strengthen resilience and response mechanisms, focusing on rebuilding livelihoods and infrastructure and ensuring equitable and sustainable recovery for vulnerable communities. The long-standing Vietnam-UNDP partnership, based on mutual trust to continue joint efforts to address national, regional, and international development challenges, is a model for other countries to follow, he stressed.

Commenting on Vietnam’s efforts to fulfil Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UNDP official said that Vietnam has achieved remarkable results in realising long-standing commitments to poverty reduction and universal health care, education and essential infrastructure, especially in rural and remote areas.

The country has recorded an average annual growth rate of over 6% in the 2020-2024 period. Since 1990, the poverty rate has dropped sharply and extreme poverty was almost eliminated in 2020, he noted.

Meanwhile, Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) rose nearly 50% from 1990 to 2022, bringing it into the group of countries with high human development. In addition, the proportion of the population living below the international poverty line decreased from 2.9% in 2010 to 0.7% in 2020, attesting to Vietnam's strongly-impacting policies in its efforts to eradicate hunger and reduce poverty, the UNDP official commented.

He asserted that despite gaps in access to essential services in remote areas, Vietnam has shown progress in its efforts to achieve the SDGs. The UNDP's Integrated SDG Insights report for Vietnam highlighted commendable progress in poverty reduction, clean water access improvement, and affordable clean energy and economic development in the country. However, it is still facing many challenges in climate action, tackling marine pollution and conserving mountain and coastal biodiversity, he pointed out.

Vietnam and its residents, the official said, have become more vulnerable to climate change, stating the organisation's pledges of support for the Vietnamese Government to develop a comprehensive social protection package to mitigate its impacts and enhance resilience for the impoverished.

According to him, creating a favourable condition for the digital transformation and green transition has an important role to play in achieving sustainable development, which requires a strong management ability. The UNDP has been proud to work with Vietnam in those significant areas, which are the focus of the organisation’s national programme to push ahead the concretisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Regarding the Vietnamese leader’s attendance at the UN General Assembly’s 79th session, the UNDP Administrator highlighted it reaffirmed Vietnam’s support for the world’s largest multilateral organisation and the nation’s positive contributions to the UN’s initiatives such as peacekeeping activities, climate actions, SDGs, and the freshly adopted Pact for the Future.

He held that Lam’s attendance was an opportunity for Vietnam to share its national development achievements and future vision, highlighting the country, transforming itself from once a war-torn nation to the one with dynamic economic growth, could inspire other nations with its lessons on poverty alleviation, climate change response and sustainable economic development.

The official said he had an effective and meaningful meeting with the Vietnamese top leader, during which they discussed the Vietnam – UNDP partnership as well as cooperation measures to help Vietnam recover from Typhoon Yagi, promote just and inclusive energy transition, bolster water security and facilitate digital transformation, among others.

He expressed his belief that the Vietnam – UNDP ties and the Vietnam – UN relationship as a whole will thrive in the coming time, given the country’s aspiration to become a high-income nation within a generation and achieve the net-zero target before 2050 which reflects Vietnam’s leadership role and commitment to the multilateral agenda in the international arena.

Both sides will focus on the mission to step up sustainable development, with the highlight placed on economic transformation, environmental protection, and social equity, he stressed, adding the UNDP will assist Vietnam to mobilise resources and investment, particularly through the domestic capital market, and to fund green and sustainable development projects, with just energy transition and climate change resilience as the centres.

The official went on to say that digital transformation will be a key cooperation area, taking UNDP’s endorsement for the remote healthcare initiative to increase the approach in this field in the country.

He underscored that the Vietnam – UNDP relations will be promoted by their shared commitments to sustainable development, justice, and benefits for all citizens. The UNDP is willing to support and help Vietnam respond to future challenges and build an equitable and resilient society.

The UNDP is looking forward to continuing its cooperation for the sustainable development in Vietnam and the region, he added.

VOV launches multimedia political programme on Vietnam’s development in new era

A multimedia and multi-format political programme featuring the nation’s development in the new era was launched on October 2 at the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) National Broadcasting Center in Hanoi.

The programme affirms the role and responsibility of VOV, the key media agency, in taking the lead in propagating the Party's guidelines and resolutions and the State's policies, thus enabling the entire nation to stay united to bring the country into a new era.

In his speech at the launching ceremony of the programme, Do Tien Sy, president of VOV, emphasized that throughout the country's development process, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), through the dissemination and implementation of important resolutions, especially the resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, important and great achievements in socio-economic development have been recorded. This has served to create new potential and a stronger position for the nation.

The Party's leadership has also helped the country to rise strongly towards a new era, affirming its prestige and position in the international arena. This can be viewed as a great achievement, not only reflected in economic progress but also through comprehensive innovation in all aspects of social life.

With the responsibility of a key national press agency, VOV always strives to accompany the strategic orientations of the Party and State, the top VOV leader added.

A series of multi-format and multimedia political programs will be widely carried out on all media forms and digital platforms of VOV broadcasting channels, online newspapers, print VOV newspaper, and especially on podcasts, with this being an area where VOV has been promoting its advantage as the country's leading broadcaster.

The series focuses on conveying important contents through programmes, articles, and discussions with in-depth analysis and arguments highlighting the bravery, intelligence, especially the solidarity, consensus and high unity in the entire Party, the entire people, the entire army by implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, towards the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding, and the 100th anniversary of the nation's founding.

“We hope that the series of programs after being posted and broadcast will receive many positive responses from audiences, listeners, and readers at home and abroad; and especially connect patriots toward a bright future of the nation in the new period,” Do Tien Sy said.

Ceremony marks 16th anniversary of education promotion association

The Vietnam Association for Promoting Education (VAPE) held a ceremony in Hanoi on October 2 to mark its 16th founding anniversary.

The event was attended by Vice State President Nguyen Thi Anh Xuan and Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son.

In her remarks, VAPE President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Doan highlighted that various forms to develop the education promotion funds have come up over the past years and the VAPE at all levels presented scholarships to millions of students, teachers, and adults with excellent learning results each year.

Particularly, the scholarship named after late President Ho Chi Minh’s teaching “Hoc khong bao gio cung” (learning never ends) has had a significant impact, encouraging people to diligently study and carry out research, she said, adding the funds established by clans have honoured the Vietnamese tradition of valuing education as well as the role of family in building the foundation of the Vietnamese culture.

She went on to say that the “Nhan tai Dat Viet – Tu hoc thanh tai” (Vietnamese talents) award has been maintained and developed since 2005, honouring talents in scientific research and sparking creativity in such areas as IT, health care, environment, agriculture, and education promotion.

It has so far attracted the participation of nearly 7,500 authors and scientists, including 250 expats.

The 2025 award was launched on the occasion./.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau tourism sector makes use of down time to improve service quality

The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is entering the low tourist season, providing some down time for local travel firms to renovate and upgrade service quality, facilities, and human resources to stimulate demand.

After a busy period from January to the end of August, with 17% growth in both tourist number and revenue, Ba Ria Vung Tau has entered the low domestic tourist season from September as kids are back to school and the storm season is in full swing.

A survey covering local hotels and resorts revealed that the number of staying tourists has decreased sharply, occupying only 10-20% of rooms on weekdays, and 50%-60% on weekends. Some facilities closed at the beginning of the week because they only received 1 or 2 room bookings.

A representative from Carmelina Beach Resort said that since the beginning of September, its room occupancy rate has been at 10-20% on weekdays and 30-40% on weekends.

In the middle of September, realising that market demand had dropped sharply, the resort decided to close on weekdays to focus on maintenance and repair of facilities and staff training, said the representative.

For hotels and resorts whose traditional guests are company staff from Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Binh Duong, this is a quiet year due to economic difficulty, forcing companies to cut spending on company trips. They've also lost market share to Phan Thiet in Binh Thuan province and Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa province where new expressways have been put into operation.

Improving service quality, stimulating travel demand

Many local travel firms have made full use of the gap to upgrade infrastructure, renew equipment, enhance service quality and staff training or organise staff team building trips.

Meanwhile, they have strengthened the promotion of new products and collected feedback from customers and partners to design travel promotion strategies, thus attracting more tourists, especially through the online channel.

Nguyen Van Hung, Deputy Director of Ben Thanh-Ho Tram branch of Ben Thanh Group, the developer of Emerald Ho Tram Resort, said that the five-star resort offers different packages for tourists at prices from 1.23 million VND (49.98 USD).

From mid-October 2024, Carmelina Beach Resort will coordinate with PPA Tour Australia to organise the Vietnam open pickleball tournament at the resort. The October 18-20 tournament is expected to attract 400 domestic and foreign athletes. In addition, this resort will also promote online service sales channels to the Western European market to attract winter guests.

Meanwhile, The Grand Ho Tram plans to host a martial arts event and welcome famtrip groups from India and the Republic of Korea.

Trinh Hang, Director of the Tourism Department of Ba Ria-Vung Tau said that the department is promoting connections with the Korean and Indian markets and countries with cold winter to lure more tourists in the low-demand season. It has also developed a plan to organise a tourism week in November, he said./.

Innovation plays pivotal role in Vietnam’s education, economic growth: Experts

Director of the National Innovation Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment Vu Quoc Huy has reiterated the crucial role of innovation in the tertiary education system and its broader impact on national development.

Addressing a workshop held in Hanoi on October 2, Huy expressed his confidence in the effective cooperation between domestic and foreign universities and the NIC in training a quality workforce.

Hub Langstaff, Country Director of the Swiss Entrepreneurship Programme (SwissEP) in Vietnam, part of Switzerland's initiative to build innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems in seven developing countries, including Vietnam, highlighted the enormous potential of innovation in Vietnam today. He also provided several recommendations to address challenges and ensure the innovation ecosystem can truly reach its full potential.

Dr. Sarah Mamiese, Head of the AFD Campus, noted that the circular economy can harmonise economic development with environmental and human protection.

Conducting practical research activities with an innovative approach to find truly effective solutions, avoid the innovation trap, and master innovation for a better future is absolutely necessary, she said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Trung Dung, Chairman of the Vietnam Higher Education Network of Entrepreneurship & Innovation (VNEI) and CEO of BK Holdings at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, proposed that leaders of Vietnamese universities should undertake study tours to observe and learn from innovative models launched by universities worldwide.

Dr. Tran Nam Tu, who is in charge of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment at the Ministry of Education and Training, revealed that the ministry will soon introduce two schemes. The first focuses on training a workforce for high-tech development from 2025 to 2035, with a vision until 2045, while the second aims to develop a quality workforce to meet the demands of the fourth Industrial Revolution.

Both schemes aim to cultivate a robust supply of hi-tech human resources, a large pool of experts in the fields of artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology. This would position Vietnam as a competitive force in attracting investment from global tech giants, helping to restructure the economy and propel national development through sci-tech, innovation, digital transformation and green transition, he said.

At the event, the organising board announced the addition of 15 new members to the VNEI, bringing the total to 71.

The event was also part of celebrations for the NIC’s 5th anniversary and the Vietnam Innovation Day 2024, co-hosted by NIC and VNEI./.

Forest programme boosts local businesses

Vietnam has increased forest coverage from 23% in 1994 to more than 45% today, demonstrating a remarkable commitment to forestation, according to Alexis Corblin, Regional Technical Advisor of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Corblin was speaking at October 1's workshop on the Forest Ecopreneur 2024 programme, which is part of the SAFE Initiative funded by the Korea Forest Services and implemented by UNEP, Bridge for Billions, and the Research Institute for Innovation and Development (IID).

He said Vietnam was leading the way as the first country to host the Demo Day workshop for the first incubation cycle under the SAFE Initiative, whose objective is to conserve and restore forest ecosystems in Bhutan, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

"Vietnam has always been at the forefront of the initiative since its beginning," said Corblin.

Truong Thi Nam Thang, Lead Researcher at IID, said 35 businesses had been selected from a pool of applicants to participate in the Forest Ecopreneur 2024.

Between May and September 2024, the programme engaged them in diverse capability-building activities, including four online training modules, three networking events, and a field trip to Kon Tum province, to support their growth.

"They have also been profiled on the imapvietnam - an interactive digital map of Vietnam's SIB sector - and the Catalyst 2030 global network," said Thang.

The programme culminated in the Demo Day workshop where seven of the 35 businesses were shortlisted for a pitch competition. The Innovative Foods Technology Company was awarded first place, followed by An Xuan Organic Herb CO LTD in second place and Goong Local Knowledge Cooperative in third place.

Third prize-winning Chao Thi Yen told Viet Nam News that her cooperative, which produces agricultural commodities, aims to create social and environmental impact by planting 10ha of forest and reduce poverty rates in the local community from 85% to 45% in the next three years.

"Our primary objectives are two of the Sustainable Development Goals: life on land and no poverty," said Yen.

She said her cooperative aims to achieve the dual goals by planting high-value species such as macadamia and intercropping them with medicinal herbs.

She also underlined the problem of product misrepresentation, where some sellers falsely label their products as local, diluting the brand equity of genuine local products.

IID Lead Researcher Thang told Viet Nam News that the programme is open to forest-linked small and medium-sized businesses in the initial phase of their start-up.

She said more than half of the programme's businesses are women-owned and nearly all of them are either founded or run by entrepreneurs with ethnic minorities background.

"The programme also contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage by incorporating products crafted by ethnic minorities," said Thang./.

Source: VNA/VNN/VNS/VOV