Đăng ký: VietNam News
| (CPV) - The European Union (EU) presented its new “Multi-annual Indicative Program” (MIP) for Vietnam in the period of 2014-2020, in response to the development challenges the country is facing. It follows the formal announcement by the EU and the Vietnamese Government last October 13th, in connection with the visit of the Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Brussels this October. The EU has affirmed the importance of its bilateral cooperation to Vietnam, underlying that its bilateral aid package has increased by more than 30% percent as compared to the previous 7-year period. The total amount of EUR400 million will mainly support Vietnam’s socio-economic development by developing the energy sector and by strengthening governance and the rule of law.  Mr. Pierre Amilhat (in the middle), Director for Asia, Central Asia, Middle East/Gulf and Pacific at the EuropeAid Office in Brussels. (Photo: ATP) “I am very happy to be here since my first arrival to Hanoi twenty years ago. Vietnam has come a long way in eradicating poverty and raising the standard of living of its population. However, many development challenges still remain. I am pleased to confirm the EU continued, and even stronger support to the country’s efforts to grow and raise the quality of life of its citizens,” said Mr. Pierre Amilhat, Director for Asia, Central Asia, Middle East/Gulf and Pacific at the EuropeAid Office in Brussels, in a press conference held in Hanoi on December 4th. While the previous cooperation program focused on the areas of health, trade assistance, rule of law and responsible tourism, the new MIP will focus on sustainable energy, governance and the rule of law. In the energy sector (accouting for 85% of the total budget), EU support will contribute to a more sustainable energy sector by promoting efficient, clean and renewable energy. Particularly, it targets the remaining 3% of Vietnam population without electricity and commits to create access to electricity for 64,577 households by 2020. In addition, some of 568,000 rural households will utilize electricity generated from renewable sources by 2020. Under the support to governance and rule of law, the EU will promote democracy, strengthen the legal and judicial systems and support creating an enabling business environment. This will be achieved by increasing access to justice (particularly of women, the poor and vulnerable groups), increase the accountability, transparency and cost-effectiveness of public service delivery and ensuring citizens’ effective participation in public governance. Development assistance in Vietnam is high on the EU’s agenda, the EU being, as a whole, the largest grant donor to the nation. It is also the second largest trading partner of Vietnam, with on-going negotiations for an EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which will further expand the economic ties. The Agreement is expected to be inked in early next year./. |
