Int'l organizations help develop educational sector in Mekong



Dec. 13 (VNA) -- International organizations have donated USD 4.3 million to help the educational sector in the Mekong delta overcome the aftermath of floods, according to the Ministry of Education and Training.

Of the sum, USD 1.052 million funded by the World Bank will be spent on a project to develop primary education in the Mekong delta and USD 3.295 million funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a project to develop junior secondary education.

Private sector forum in Ha Noi




Ha Noi, Dec. 13 (VNA) -- "Enhancing the competitiveness of Viet Nam" is the main theme of a private sector forum organized by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank (WB) in Ha Noi today, Dec. 13.

Present at the forum, the third of its kind, were representatives of 29 local businesses, 27 foreign business associations, Government agencies, donor countries and international development organizations.

Vietnamese labor integrate with global market



Ha Noi, Dec. 13 (VNA) -- The Government will exempt entrepreneurs engaged in labour exports from value-added tax (VAT) from early next year, in a bid to stimulate Viet Nam's labour exports, a senior official from the Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry said.

The Government has approved the ministry's proposal that the zero percent VAT level be applied to entrepreneurs who are allowed to dispatch Vietnamese workers abroad, director of the department for management of Vietnamese workers abroad Tran Van Hang told Lao Dong newspaper.

Ho Chi Minh city to build software training center




Dec. 13 (VNA) -- Ho Chi Minh City will build a centre for personnel training in software industry under a just-approved USD 3.5 million project.

Funding will come from India's soft loans worth USD 2.5 million and the remainder will be met by the city.

The project aims to improve knowledge on information technology for students and managers and supply human resources for the software industry in the city and other southern localities.

Construction of the centre will start in the third quarter of 2001.--VNA

Vietnam ranks 89th in UNICEF's list on children




Ha Noi, Dec. 13 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has been ranked 89th of 198 countries in the Care and Protection of Children by the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, following a decline in deaths of children under five.

UNICEF Country representative Morten Giersing announced the ranking at a news briefing about the World's Children 2001 in Ha Noi on Dec. 13. The briefing was given by UNICEF and Viet Nam's Committee for Protection and Care of Children.

NGO helps conduct plastic surgery for Vietnamese children




Ha Noi, Dec. 14 (VNA) -- Deformed children in the southern province of Dong Nai will benefit from plastic surgery, thanks to an assistance programme to be conducted by a Swiss non-governmental organization, Children Action, starting on Jan. 1 next year.

An agreement to the effect has been signed by the Dong Nai Health Service and Children Action.

ILO senior officials in Vietnam



Dec. 12 (VNA) -- Senior officials of the International Labour Organization, ILO, and Viet Nam's Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry met in Ha Noi today, Dec. 12.

Their purpose was to review a three-year project, funded by ILO and Japan and implemented by the ministry, intended to raise management capacity and upgrade facilities at job promotion centres in Phu Tho, Hai Duong, Nghe An and Dong Nai provinces and Ho Chi Minh City.

The project was started in 1998.

FM Nguyen Dy Nien explores potential with EU countries


Dec. 12 (VNA) -- Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien sought stronger economic ties with several European countries at bilateral meetings in Vientiane, Laos, on Dec. 11 during the ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting.

He spoke with delegates from France, Italy, Ireland and Spain about Viet Nam's policy to accelerate economic cooperation with other countries.

Nien emphasized the importance of the economic ties between Viet Nam and European countries to relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, and the European Union, EU.

Ha Long bay listed UNESCO's World geological heritage


Dec. 12 (VNA) -- Ha Long Bay, a beautiful natural landscape in the northern province of Quang Ninh has been listed in the register of world geological heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

A news briefing was held in Quang Ninh on Dec. 11, where the UNESCO recognition was announced by the Ministry of Culture and Information and the Quang Ninh People's Committee and the Viet Nam UNESCO Committee.

Vietnam's cyberspace IT Park launched




Ha Noi, Dec. 12 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's first-ever online IT Park was launched Dec. 11 with the aim of creating a forum in cyberspace for Vietnamese to pool ideas on boosting participation in the global information economy.

The park is not designed as an entirely online service, as it offers a combination of real-world services with Internet technology. The USD 4 million park located at www.itpark.com.vn, is split into four major areas: Research and Development; Commerce and Services; Training; and Entertainment.

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