IMF agrees to preferential credits of 460 million for Vietnam

Sun, 04/08/2001 - 23:00


April 7 (VNA) -- The International Monetary Fund, IMF, Executive approved a preferential credit of almost USD 460 million for Viet Nam's poverty-reduction and growth-facility programme for 2001-2003 on April 6.

The sum will be disbursed equally over seven half-years.
It is intended to help Viet Nam reform State-owned enteprises, the banking system and trade.

Labor strikes in the past four years

Sun, 04/08/2001 - 22:58



Ha Noi, April 7 (VNA) -- A recent survey showed that more and more labour disputes and strikes have unfolded over the past four years, and that these incidents have proceeded in a way that is not in accordance with law.

From early 1995, when Viet Nam's Labour Code took effect, to late 2000, 358 strikes took place in all economic sectors, according to the survey conducted by the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour with help from the German FES institute at the end of last year.

CPV Central Committee opens its 12th plenum

Sun, 04/08/2001 - 22:55



Ha Noi, Apr. 7 (VNA) -- The Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee, CPVCC, opened its 12th plenary meeting in Ha Noi on Apr. 7.

The meeting aims to complete the draft documents to be presented to the upcoming 9th National Party Congress and continue introducing candidates to the new Central Committee for approval by the ninth congress.

It will also give opinions about the draft agenda, procedures and electoral regulations for submission to the congress.

Tourists in first quarter rise

Sun, 04/08/2001 - 22:53



Ha Noi, April 7 (VNA) -- Viet Nam received more than 620,000 international tourists in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year rise of 18 percent.

Most were from France, Japan, China, the U.S., Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany and Britain.
The number of domestic tourists was equal to last year, about 2.8 million.

Tourism revenue was VND 2,500 billion, more than USD 172 million, in January-March, up 11 percent against last year's first quarter.

Vietnam EXPO 2001 to open in Ha Noi

Sun, 04/08/2001 - 22:51



Ha Noi, April 7 (VNA) -- More than 450 domestic and foreign enterprises will display their products in more than 500 pavilions covering 20,000 sq.m. at the 11th International Trade Fair, Viet Nam EXPO 2001, to be held at the Giang Vo Exhibition and Trade Fair Centre in Ha Noi from April 10-14.

Among the participants will be 218 firms from 16 countries, including China, Malaysia, Russia, the Republic of Korea, and Thailand, which will display industrial products, motorbikes, consumer goods, cosmetics....

Int'l organizations mobilized 62 million ODA for health service

Sun, 04/08/2001 - 22:48




Ha Noi, April 8 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's health service received USD 62 million each year as official development assistance, ODA, of from international and non-governmental organizations from 1997 to 2000.

The figure represents 20 percent of the State budget allocated for the service.

International and non-government organizations have mobilized a total ODA capital of USD 468.226 million, including non-refundable aid and soft loans, during the past decade.

Nuclear medicine development in Vietnam

Sun, 04/08/2001 - 22:39



Ha Noi, April 8 (VNA) -- The Health Ministry and the Ha Noi Medical University's first radio-therapy research unit made its debut in early 1971.

The unit, located in Ha Noi's Bach Mai Hospital, was a preparatory step for the introduction of nuclear medicine in Viet Nam.

At that time, few people in Viet Nam believed in the use of radio-active isotopes as a form of medical treatment. Therefore, radio-therapy was then quite alien to most patients .

More than 4,170 workers sent abroad in first quarter

Thu, 04/05/2001 - 20:57




Ha Noi, April 5 (VNA) -- Viet Nam sent 4,172 of its citizens to work abroad in the first quarter of this year, reports the Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry's Department of Labour Management with Foreign Countries.

More than 1,270 of the workers went under labour contracts signed last year.

Rice export in 2001 and reserve-rice buying

Thu, 04/05/2001 - 20:54




April 4 (VNA) -- Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Cong Tan has instructed Mekong Delta provinces and businesses to efficiently organize the buying of 1 million tonnes of rice for temporary reserve in accordance with the Prime Minister's Decision.

Tan was chairing a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on April 4 with leading officials from Mekong Delta provinces, the Finance, Trade and Agriculture and Rural Development Ministries and food corporations to plan this year's rice exports and the buying of rice for a temporary reserve.

ESCAP report: VN's economic performance was robust in 2000

Thu, 04/05/2001 - 20:51




Ha Noi April 4 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's economic performance was robust in 2000, with GDP growth at 6.7 percent compared with the rate of 4.8 percent in 1999, a report of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) says.

The report was released at a press briefing held in Ha Noi on April 3 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of ESCAP.

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