Duvernay infrastructure development

The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) at a press conference reviewing the agency’s work in Việt Nam in the first half of the 2021 fiscal year. — VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI — The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) will continue its efforts to support Việt Nam's socio-economic development, JICA Chief Representative in Việt Nam, Shimizu Akira, said on Thursday. Speaking at a press conference reviewing the agency’s work in Việt Nam in the first half of the fiscal year 2021 (from April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021), Shimizu said that JICA has focused on technical and financial cooperation and consolidating friendship between Việt Nam and Japan. He said that he highly appreciated efforts made by Việt Nam during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the most recent wave since late April. “Japan has been supporting Việt Nam to overcome this difficult time,” he said, adding that Japan has given Việt Nam more than four million doses of …

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Partner Le Nguyen Huy Thuy and legal assistant Ton That Hoang from Indochine Counsel explain incentives for developing social housing in industrial zones As a result, millions of workers from north to south were quarantined for a long period of time in cramped quarters and lacked amenities or faced high rents in guest houses and motel rooms. This increases population density and the burden on social infrastructure. According to Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Steering Committee in Ho Chi Minh City, before October 1, IZs in Ho Chi Minh City had about 288,000 workers, including more than 70,000 using various stay-at-work models. This number has since fallen to around 45,000 people. The total number of workers in such zones has dropped by over 50 per cent, creating more obstacles for enterprises to meet orders. Therefore, the need for social housing in these IZs is vital. The regulations regarding this are scattered within many documents. …

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The goods supply chain that connects HCM City and provinces in the southern key economic zone plays an important role in the economic development and social stability of the entire region. But it has been disrupted because of Covid-19. Import and export activities have declined because of the lack of orders, attributed to a drop in global demand. The other problems, including interrupted global supply chains, higher shipping costs, longer shipping and goods handling time, lack of customs and storage services, and the lack of both private and public services all have made the situation more serious. The inter- and intra-regional logistics networks have been disrupted. Businesspeople, direct and indirect workers in the logistics system cannot work because they have not been fully vaccinated. The required high testing frequency has led to increased production costs and the risk of shippers getting infected. Meanwhile, the inconsistency among cities and provinces in applying …

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Industrial facilities in Hanoi have been at risk of causing environmental pollution which have a detrimental effect on people’s health and hinders urban development. Architectural experts believe that old industrial buildings could provide the ideal location to create cultural spaces, giving dilapidated properties a new lease of life. The idea was discussed during an online webinar held in Hanoi on October 21 by architects from Vietnam and Europe alongside building owners and property managers. They hope to share knowledge on the best solutions to turn run-down buildings into cultural spaces the city can be proud of. Factory of Sao Vang Rubber Company in Hanoi's inner district of Thanh Xuan. Photo: Pham Thang The webinar, themed "Current status of industrial facilities spaces in Hanoi and international experiences of industrial heritage", was supported by the association of European Cultural Institutes and Embassies (EUNIC). EUNIC representative Thierry …

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In the midst of a stressful time of the epidemic, the Ministry of Planning and Investment is developing a program to recover the economy after the pandemic. According to Minister Nguyen Chi Dung, Covid-19 has disrupted production and business activities of enterprises around the world and seriously affected the Vietnamese economy. Along with that, the epidemic has disrupted many supply chains in the world and Vietnam. However, when the economy recovers from the pandemic, demand will also increase. Vietnam needs to take advantage of this opportunity to bring businesses into the supply chain. Growth and opportunity The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Vietnam researched and re-evaluated the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on the supply chain of 10 industries in Vietnam. They selected three priority industries for in-depth research: agriculture, food processing and automobiles. These are the three industries …

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Farmers in northern Điện Biên Province check quality of macadamia nuts after harvest. Growing macadamia trees is one of effective models helping to reduce poverty in the province. — VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is expected to achieve five out of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, including no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, climate action and global partnerships, according to the National Report on the five-year-implementation of Vietnam Sustainable Development Goals. The report was released by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hà Nội on Thursday. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc said the SDG National Report 2020 was drafted to evaluate the progress of the five-year implementation of the SDGs in Việt Nam and to anticipate the possibility of achieving SDGs by 2030. The report has made important contributions to the SDG database and SDG implementation monitoring and evaluation process. Throughout the …

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Vietnam is expected to achieve five out of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, including no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, climate action and global partnerships, according to the National Report on the five-year-implementation of Vietnam Sustainable Development Goals. Farmers in northern Điện Biên Province check quality of macadamia nuts after harvest. Growing macadamia trees is one of effective models helping to reduce poverty in the province. — VNA/VNS Photo The report was released by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hanoi on Thursday. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc said the SDG National Report 2020 was drafted to evaluate the progress of the five-year implementation of the SDGs in Vietnam and to anticipate the possibility of achieving SDGs by 2030. The report has made important contributions to the SDG database and SDG implementation monitoring and evaluation process. Throughout the …

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An overview of the workshop. (Source: congthuong.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade has coordinated with the APEC Secretariat to organise a workshop on building APEC capacity in promoting the digital economy, which opened on October 21 via videoconference. The two-day event is a chance for APEC member econommies to share experience in developing the digital economy and digital government in different aspects such as laws, policies, technology and infrastructure, institutions, and impacts on social strata. Opening the seminar, Dang Hoang Hai, Director of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy under the Ministry of Industry and Trade , said that the digital economy is playing an important role in promoting innovations as well as the competitiveness and growth of the economy. It has not only posed positive imapcts on the transformation of traditional business models and networks but also sped up the transfer of knowledge and transition …

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JICA and VPBank have agreed to US$75 million to promote financial access for women-led small and medium-sized enterprises. — VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI — To promote better financial access among female-led small and medium-sized enterprises, a US$75 million loan fund has been agreed upon. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Việt Nam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank) signed the deal on Thursday to promote financial inclusiveness. The loan is part of a drive on overseas loans and investments with ASEAN members, announced by the Government of Japan in 2019, entitled “Facility for Accelerating Finance Inclusion in Asia:FAIA”. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for 98.7 per cent of the total number of enterprises in Việt Nam, 45 per cent of the country's gross domestic product and attract 63 per cent of employment. However, their access to finance is limited. This access to finance is a particularly big hindrance for women-led SMEs. In …

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Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) Nguyen Dinh Tho has said the ISPONRE is seeking international cooperation opportunities regarding rainfall collection and purification technology for the task of fighting climate change in the Mekong Delta. During the 12th Environmental Technology Experts’ Group Meeting, held virtually by the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) on October 21, Tho said Vietnam ranked sixth among countries globally hardest hit by climate change and extreme weather phenomena during the 1999-2018 period. As the country’s biggest farm produce and fisheries production hub, the Mekong Delta faces environment and climate change issues each year like rising sea water level, saltwater intrusion, drought, floods and storms, prolonged and serious tropical tornadoes, he added. According to him, the Ministry of Natural Resources and …

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