Pharmaceutical sector in Vietnam



Ha Noi, Dec. 15 (VNA) -- The domestic pharmaceutical turnover is likely to reach VND 2,100 billion (USD 170 million) this year, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent, and per-capita medical investment is up by four percent to USD 5.2 a year.

The figures were announced by Vi Ninh, Head of the Viet Nam Pharmaceutical Management Bureau, at a press briefing in Ha Noi on Dec. 14.

The industry has managed to record an export turnover of USD 11 million, Ninh said.

Vietnam and China meet on border issues in Ha Noi




Ha Noi, Dec. 15 (VNA) -- Assistant to the Foreign Minister and leader of the Vietnamese Government delegation to the negotiation of the Viet Nam-China territorial borders, Le Cong Phung, and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, met in Ha Noi from Dec. 12-14.

At the friendly, frank and mutual understanding talks, the two discussed concrete measures to fulfil the borderline demarcation with a view to the signing of an agreement on the Tonkin Gulf demarcation within this year, as agreed by their top leaders.

Donors indicates US 2,4 billion for Vietnam



Ha Noi, Dec. 15 (VNA) -- Donor countries and international organizations have indicated about USD 2.4 billion for Viet Nam's poverty reduction and development agenda.
The figure was included in a paper issued at the closing session of the Consultative Group Meeting for Viet Nam in Ha Noi on Dec. 15.

Contracts on Nam Con Son oil field exploitation signed




Ha Noi, Dec. 15 (VNA) -- Contracts for the Nam Con Son Gas Project were signed by the Viet Nam Oil and Gas Corporation (PetroVietnam) and its foreign partners, BP, Statoil of the UK and ONGC of India, in Ha Noi Dec. 15.

These included a business cooperation contract between PetroVietnam and BP Pipeline Viet Nam B.V, Statoil AS to build and put into operation a pipeline in Nam Con Son and a contract for selling gas exploited at Lot 06.1 of the Nam Con Son basin between PetroVietnam and the Lot 06.1 product-sharing contractors (PSC).

Consultative group meeting for Vietnam opens in Ha Noi




Ha Noi, Dec. 14 (VNA) -- The Consultative Group (CG) for Viet Nam opened its meeting in Ha Noi this morning, Dec. 14.

Participants at the two-day meeting include Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung, and representatives of the World Bank (WB), 41 bilateral and multilateral donor organizations and nations, and many observers.

Vietnam's economy makes positive changes in 2000




Ha Noi, Dec. 14 (VNA) -- Positive changes in the Vietnamese economy have been exemplified in the reversal of the downward economic trend. The GDP growth rate in 2000 is expected to reach 6.7 percent as compared to 4.8 percent in 1999.

Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Xuan Gia discussed the Vietnamese economy at the private sector forum held in Ha Noi on December 13.

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

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