VietNamNet Bridge - At the Lagos Conference in 2016, Vietnam was reported as ranking 10th worldwide in air pollution. 

The Vietnamese Government appreciates consultations of the WB and IMF on the management of the macro-economic policy in Vietnam, helping the country maintain macro-economic stability and low inflation rate.

The Ministry if Finance’s (MOF) decision to reject eight foreign loans with high interest rates totaling $1.2 billion was highly applauded by economists.

While Vietnamese believe that the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the only electricity retailer, sets high retail prices, international reports point out that the electricity price in Vietnam is lower than in other countries.

 The World Bank and the Government of Vietnam on October 3 launched a joint report titled “Vietnam Public Expenditure Review (PER): Fiscal Policies towards Sustainability, Efficiency, and Equity”.

Vietnam is in the ‘golden population period’ with a high number of working-age people, expected to last from 2010 to 2040. However, the quality of the labor force is not ‘golden’, say experts. 

The argument about whether to continue the VNEN teaching model has resurfaced after the World Bank released a report, affirming the great advantages of the model, and HCMC’s decision to continue the model at local schools.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam needs to draw up a long-term plan to stop receiving ODA within 15-20 years, experts say. As of June this year, it is no longer receiving preferential loans from WB.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam now has to think of attracting private capital for development projects as preferential ODA loans will now have higher interest rates. 

VietNamNet Bridge - Though skeptical about the 6.7 percent GDP growth rate target, economists still believe Vietnam will be among Asia's fastest growing economies.

VietNamNet Bridge - The recently released World Bank report about farm produce supply chain shows worrying issues about Vietnam’s agriculture.

VietNamNet Bridge - It is expected that large amounts of money will be pumped into circulation to obtain the ambitious target of 6.7 percent GDP growth rate. This has raised the fear that hot growth will bring high inflation back.

  IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Singapore-based Armstrong S.E. Clean Energy Fund have announced investments in the Gia Lai Electricity Joint Stock Company (GEC).

VietNamNet Bridge - There are huge financial resources in Vietnam which still have not been mobilized for investment and development.

The World Bank has approved a loan of US$150 million to Việt Nam to improve local development policies related to economic management and competitiveness.

The strong message the economists – the authors of the Vietnam 2035 Report – want to convey is that Vietnam needs to carry out reform, or it will lag behind, according to Pham Chi Lan, a renowned economist, a member of the report preparation team.

VietNamNet Bridge - English will be a compulsory subject for third grades and above from 2018. This means that primary schools only have two more years to prepare teachers of English.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese fragrant rice exports have been increasing rapidly, but the export value remain modest.

VietNamNet Bridge - Three groups of enterprises will be under pressure once the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) takes effect, according to lawyer Tran Huu Huynh, chair of the Vietnam Arbitration Center.

The WB will support Vietnam in building a road map to smoothly shift preferential loans from the International Development Association to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.