Vietnam needs 48 billion USD to develop highways

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam will need some 48 billion USD for the construction of 20 highways with a total length of over 5,870km, according to a proposed scheme to develop the country’s highways network between now and 2020 and beyond, which have been scrutinised by the Government.

At a seminar held in Hanoi on Nov. 6, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung said developing the domestic road network, including the highways, is considered a matter of great importance for Vietnam to create impetus for socio-economic development.

Under the master plan, the trans-national express system will include two routes, the systems in the north and south will have six routes each, the system in the central and central highlands region will have three routes and there will be three routes in the beltways in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City .

The target of the plan, formulated by the Ministry of Transport, is to form a network of modern national highways linking key economic hubs, main border gates and important traffic points that is able to coordinate with other modern modes of transport.

The plan is expected to help tackle the issue of traffic jams, as well as effectively reducing traffic accidents, initially in big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City .

According to the plan, highway routes connecting key economic zones, major cities and their beltways, and big sea ports will be prioritised for investment.

Vietnam now has 18 highway projects in the pipeline, including six under construction or to begin construction next year. Many of these projects have received funding from international organisations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the German Reconstruction and Development Bank (KFW) and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

At the seminar, Deputy PM Hung called on international donors to give more assistance, both financial and technological, in order to develop Vietnam ’s traffic network to meet increasing demand, reduce traffic accidents and minimise the impact on the environment.

The World Bank (WB) Acting Country Director in Vietnam Martin Rama pledged to increase levels of assistance to Vietnam in developing its transport infrastructure and to mobilise all available investment resources.

Martin Rama said the WB is ready to partner Vietnam in this area, financing and sharing experiences related to forming sustainable management and financial mechanisms.

According to a recent World Bank survey, Vietnam ’s rapid economic growth associated with a high-speed urbanisation process and an increasing number of transport facilities, has put unrelenting pressure on the existing road systems. In addition, poor infrastructure and the high rate of traffic accidents are additional factors influencing Vietnam in its decision to build new roads.-

Hanoi parking lots can’t keep up with demand

Hanoi (VNA) – Some Hanoi streets seem to be in good shape after a trial period for privately-run, road-side parking services in Hoan Kiem district.

However, the public is wondering how long the apparent success will last as parking lots are already overloaded. Parking service manager have said their lots are full all the time.

The parking lot at Ba Kieu Temple next to Hoan Kiem Lake is typically full of vehicles by 9am.

Parking attendant Tran Minh Tien says the total area of 130sq.m is just enough to accommodate vehicles owned by the local population and workers at two State-owned companies in the area,leaving little space for passers-by to leave their vehicles.

Hoan Kiem district is the capital’s central commercial area, where a large number of visitors come daily from across the country for shopping and tourism.

To solve the increasing demand for residential parking, local authorities must conduct surveys to determine suitable locations for parking lots, according to the deputy chairman of Hoan Kiem district People’s Committee, Nguyen Quoc Hoa.

Local authorities have determined that the primary responsibility for managing parking lots and ensuring environmental hygiene falls on ward-level People’s Committees.

Considerations are being made for an expansion of parking acreage surrounding Hoan Kien Lake to ease the shortage of parking space.-

Landlords cash in on foreign tenants

HCM City (VNA) – The increase in the number for foreigners living and working in Ho Chi Minh City is bringing a windfall to house owners who lease out their houses to foreigners.

Though official statistics are not available, telephone information service 1080 estimates there are around 6,000 foreigners in the city now.

But not all of them can afford the 2,000 USD and above a month that deluxe and serviced apartments cost, especially single people and students. Renting a room in a house is often a good option for many, thanks to the lower rents.

Thai Van Lung Street in district 1 was the first place in the city where this became popular. Since 1995, Quarter 4 here has been known as the “Western quarter”.

Most house owners here build three to five floors, leasing out as many as seven rooms with facilities like internet connection, air-conditioner, water heater and furniture.

Similar has been the case with Quarter 5, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, district 1, which is located near the University of Social Science and Humanities, where many students from Japan and the Republic of Korea study.

Rooms measuring 10-15sq.m here cost 6-6.5 million VND (362-393 USD) a month, including power and laundry.

Vo Minh Chau of Phu Nhuan district, who has rented out two floors to three Australian students for the last two years, said having foreigners staying in the house helps both owner and tenant benefit from each other in terms of cultural exchanges, especially those who are studying or doing research on Vietnam. “We help them learn the country’s customs and language, and in return my lodgers sometime help my children with studies,” said Chau

His children no longer play computer games, but have instead, become interested in learning English to communicate with their new friends, he says proudly.-

Binh Dinh’s schools provided with free internet service

The Military Telecommunication Corporation (Viettel) branch in central Binh Dinh province on Nov. 6 launched its programme to provide free internet service for almost 700 schools, colleges, universities and district-level departments of education and training in the province.

The service provider will install equipment for 53 schools by the end of 2008, and the remaining schools and offices will be connected in 2009.

Viettel is implementing a national plan to connect all schools to the internet, which is part of efforts by the Ministry of Education and Training to promote IT application in education in the 2008-2012 period.

The corporation to date has provided free ADSL service for approximately 40,000 schools across the country.-

Vietnam appreciates UNMIS role in Sudan

New York (VNA) – The overall security situation in UNMIS’s operation areas of Sudan has been improved, said the Vietnamese representative to the UN, Ambassador Le Luong Minh, at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Nov. 5.

“My Delegation takes a positive note of the improvement in the overall security situation in UNMIS’s operation areas, the decline in inter-ethnic violence, and the stabilisation process in Abyei as noted by the Secretary General in his report,” Minh said.

He also noted the progress made in the implementation of the Abyei Road Map Agreement, the launch of the Sudan People’s Initiative by the Sudanese Government as well as its commitment to continued cooperation with UNMIS.

UNMIS (United Nations’ Mission in Sudan )’s notable contributions to the Disarmament, Domobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process and electoral assistance should also be mentioned, the ambassador said.

However, he added, UNMIS should give more priority to the facilitation of recovery and socio-economic development in the Sudan, promotion of humanitarian activities, and protection of civilians, especially child protection in conflict-affected areas.

The ambassador also expressed concurrence with the Secretary General that the concerned parties should lift the remaining restrictions of movement for UNMIS, thereby facilitating the mission’s discharge of its mandated duties.-

Former president awarded 70-year party membership badge

State President Nguyen Minh Triet presented a 70-year Party Membership Badge to General Le Duc Anh, former Politburo member and State President, at a ceremony in Hanoi on Nov. 6.

The formal ceremony was held at the Office of the Ministry of Defense at the presence of Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh and former Vice State President Nguyen Thi Binh.

The badge is also the recognition of achievements and contributions of General Le Duc Anh to the revolutionary cause of the Party and Vietnam People’s Army, President Triet said.

General Le Duc Anh, born in 1920, fought and commanded in the nation’s two wars against the French colonists and American imperialists, and participated in the international mission in neighbouring Cambodia, which made him one of the most significant figures in the cause of national liberation and unification.

As the Defense Minister and then State President, the General made significant contributions to national economic development, maintenance of national defense and security, and expansion of international relations, enhancing Vietnam’s strength and position in the world.-

Cambodia thanks Vietnam for continued support

HCM City (VNA) – The Cambodian people always keep in their mind the all-round valuable assistance of Vietnam in liberating the country from genocide as well as the continued support both spiritual and political at present, said a Cambodia diplomat.

Cambodia ’s Consul General Luon Kim Khuon made the statement at a meeting held in Ho Chi Minh City on Nov. 6 to mark the 55 th National Day of his country.

The two countries have followed the right track in facilitating joint projects involving in power plant building, oil and gas exploration, telecommunication service development, border economic promotion and most recently the exemption of visa for regular passport holders, the Cambodian diplomat said.

The President of the Ho Chi Minh City ’s Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, Truong Minh Nhut, appreciated the close collaboration between the two countries at international and regional forums and the diverse and effective cooperation between localities.
HCM City has been implementing several projects on planting rubber trees in some Cambodian provinces. The city also helped Phnom Penh city build a supermarket, the Cho Ray II hospital and a friendship school. Doctors from HCM City hospitals have so far provided free of charge eye surgery for 5,000 Cambodian people.-

Hanoi hosts first strategic dialogue with Russia

Hanoi (VNA)- The first Vietnam-Russia strategic dialogue took place in Hanoi on November 6, in furtherance of a high-level commitment made during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to Russia in September 2007.

The two sides, led either by permanent or first Deputy Foreign Ministers, held in-depth discussions regarding a number of global issues, but focused mainly on the Asia-Pacific region.

They also examined challenges to global security and development, particularly those affecting Vietnam and Russia , including economic security.

Also high on the agenda were measures to strengthen coordination of action at international and regional forums, to help both nations contribute further to common peace, stability and prosperity.

On the same day, the Russian head delegate, First Deputy Foreign Minister A. I. Denisov, was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem.–

State President congratulates US president-elect

Hanoi (VNA) – State President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent messages of congratulations to the US president-elect Barack Obama on November 6.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the messages were sent to mark Obama’s election as President of the United States.-

Asia-Pacific injury prevention conference concludes

Hanoi (VNA) – The second Asia-Pacific Conference on Injury Prevention concluded in Hanoi on November 6, with the approval of the Hanoi Statement on Injury and Violence Prevention in the Asia-Pacific region.

The three-day conference agreed on the fact that injuries and violence are the leading precursors of deaths and disabilities.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Asia-Pacific region accounts for the largest proportion of the world’s accidents, with 65 percent of burns, 64 percent of suicides, 62 percent of cases of drowning and 50 percent of road traffic accidents occurring in the region.

The conference, therefore, stressed the necessity of increasing preventative efforts and flexibly applying developed countries’ experiences and practices to current circumstances in regional low- and middle-income nations.

It also emphasised the importance of technical and financial supports from donors, international organisations and scientists for underdeveloped and developing countries.

The conference agreed to revise the current system of information regarding injuries and violence and to establish an injury care network from first-aid to healthcare and rehabilitation services in the community, and pledged to mobilise public efforts in injury prevention.

The 3 rd Asia-Pacific Injury Prevention Conference is scheduled to be held in 2011.-