Viet nam to overcome obstacles to effectively use external aid
Ha Noi, Dec. 11 (VNA) -- Viet Nam is determined to overcome obstacles to use external capital sources more effectively in its national industrialisation and modernisation, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai affirmed.
PM Khai assured heads of 47 delegations from foreign countries, international organisations, governmental and non-governmental organisations to the Consultative Group Meeting in Ha Noi on Dec. 11.
He praised donors' assistance to Viet Nam over the past ten years, which, he said, had made practical and effective contributions to Viet Nam's national renewal process and economic development, especially to personnel training, infrastructure construction, and poverty reduction.
The guests highly valued Viet Nam's economic growth over the past years and urged Viet Nam to accelerate the economy's efficiency and competitiveness for rapid and sustainable development. They were interested in Viet Nam's implementation of the comprehensive strategy to deal with hunger and poverty for development, the public investment programme and official development assistance (ODA) sources.
The Consultative Group Meeting was held in Ha Noi on Dec. 10 and 11.
At the meeting, the donors' community pledged a total aid of 2.5 billion USD for Viet Nam in 2003, an increase of 4.5 percent over 2002.
Donors have between 1993 and 2001 pledged 20 billion USD for Viet Nam. The two sides have so far signed programmes and projects valued at around 16.4 billion USD.
