Vietnam’s first sapper unit for United Nations peacekeeping operations is undergoing a training course in Hanoi to prepare for their mission in Abyei, a disputed oil-rich border territory claimed by both South Sudan and Sudan. The Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations kicked off the training for the 203-strong sapper unit on Thursday. Sapper unit No. 1, Vietnam’s first sapper company for UN peacekeeping operations, made its debut during a ceremony in Hanoi on November 15. The unit was established in 2014 and charged with a suitable peacekeeping mission at the request of the UN. The training, which lasts until December 6, is expected to analyze and improve the unit’s capability in operation, specialist knowledge, and management before it is deployed for a mission of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Major General Hoang Kim Phung, director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, gestures when speaking with foreign military …
KPMG exclusive #1: Major tax and legal changes on horizon
Hoang Thuy Duong , head of Tax of KPMG in Vietnam KPMG has recently held its flagship annual event, the Tax and Legal Institute to update clients on key concerns for the coming years. What major trends will businesses have to incorporate into their strategies? This year’s Tax and Legal Institute came at a time of recovery and the return to growth and expansion in 2022 and the next years forward. We are now looking at an extremely fluid regulatory and tax environment as Vietnam is juggling COVID-19 temporary adaptive measures and economic stimulus packages. On the longer term, Vietnam has been restructuring its economy to industrialise and modernise export-oriented production while also executing on its ambitious climate change and sustainability commitments, such as the net-zero target Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has announced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). And all this while adjusting to global regime changes, such as the Organisation for …
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PM Chính gives proposals to enhance Asia-Europe co-operation
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Friday attended the 13th summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 13) via video conference. VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI – Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Friday proposed initiatives to promote cooperation between Asia and European countries in the future as he attended the 13th summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 13) via video conference. The ASEM, or Asia-Europe Meeting, is a platform for countries in Asia and Europe to exchange views on regional and global issues and strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas. The 13th ASEM summit with the theme "strengthening multilateralism for shared growth" was held virtually from November 25 to 26 and hosted by Cambodia in its capacity as current chair. Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Chính delivered profound and substantive comments on the situation in the world, the region, development trends and new problems facing Việt Nam …
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EFTA – spotlight in Vietnamese President’s visit to Switzerland
The agreement has so far reached the 16th negotiation round. Presidents of Vietnam and Switzerland said today that the two countries agreed to finalize negotiations of a free trade agreement Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) of which Switzerland is a member. Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Switzerland's President Guy Parmelin in Bern on Nov 26. Photos: VNA Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Swiss President Guy Parmelin said at a press conference after the talks in Bern on November 26. Parmelin said that Vietnam is Switzerland’s 3rd largest trade partner in ASEAN after Singapore and Thailand and Vietnam is a priority country in Switzerland’s economic cooperation policy. He stated that the goal in the support program of Switzerland’s Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) is to help Vietnam’s economy develop more inclusively and sustainably. Efforts for the conclusion of a free trade …
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Setting up for decades of economic advances
Vietnam is rolling out plans to enhance the capacity of its human resources, photo Le Toan In his call for more investment from the international community, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has underlined Vietnam’s great efforts to improve the quality of human resources – one of the key factors receiving attention from investors. “To bring into full play the potential of the Vietnamese people, who constitute Vietnam’s most important resource, and serve both as the subject and highest goal of development, we have been stepping up capacity building, with a focus on the development of digital human resources and a skilled workforce to make the most of the shift in supply chains,” PM Chinh stated at the recent strategic dialogue between Vietnam and the World Economic Forum (WEF) held online. “We are also improving technological development, innovation, and digital transformation. We are also restructuring our economy, in tandem with transforming our growth model and improving …
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Việt Nam, Switzerland should further cooperate in innovation, science-technology: Presidents
Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) and Swiss counterpart Guy Parmeli review the guards of honour during the welcome ceremony for the former at Lohn Estate, Bern on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất BERN — Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and Swiss President Guy Parmeli on Friday held talks during his official visit to Switzerland as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year (October 11, 1971 - October 11, 2021). President Phúc noted with gratitude how Switzerland was the first European country to have recognised and set up diplomatic relations with Việt Nam in 1971 when the war in Việt Nam still raged on, laying "the first stones" in building the friendship between the two countries, and to this day, Switzerland is among the countries providing the most development assistance to Việt Nam. President Phúc and his Swiss counterpart concurred that during the past half-century, the traditional friendship and cooperation between the …
Smart & Sustainable Cities Forum to take place this week
Illustrative photo. (Source: vneconomy.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Smart & Sustainable Cities Forum will take place this week, bringing together speakers from the public and private sectors to share practices and knowledge about critical sustainability issues related to the development of Vietnam’s urban centres. It will be held by RMIT University in collaboration with the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) and DXCentre, a Ho Chi Minh City-based provider of consultation and support in digital transformation, via video teleconference on November 24. With over 3.5 billion people living in cities globally now and a projected 70 percent of humanity living in cities by 2050, developing smart and sustainable cities is at the forefront of urban development and planning globally. In Vietnam, urban centres have also witnessed rapid expansion. Based on the latest census, the population of the two biggest cities – Hanoi and HCM City – are about 8 and 9 million respectively, and …
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Party chief meets with Hanoi voters on N.A. session
After listening to the outcomes, most Hanoi voters appreciated the contents discussed and decided at the second session, which, they said, demonstrate democracy, responsibility and enthusiasm of the legislature. They emphasized that the success of this session continues to affirm important steps forward in building a proactive, intellectual, united, innovative and responsible National Assembly, and a more democratic, public and transparent legislature which is close to voters and people. They also hailed efforts by the Party and State in the prevention of corruption and negativity, thus helping consolidate people’s confidence. As a member of the Hanoi N.A. deputy delegation, Party General Secretary Trong acknowledged voters’ ideas and recommendations. Regarding the ongoing complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, he asked the municipal authorities and people to stay vigilant to ensure pandemic prevention and control, focus on economic development and maintain …
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