Ambassador Mai Phan Dung (middle), Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international Organizations at the session.

Vietnam chairs UNCTAD’s 14th session in Geneva

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, permanent representative of Vietnam to the UN, World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international Organizations in Geneva, has been elected President of the 14th session of the Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission under the framework of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The event featured the participation of representatives of all member countries, intergovernmental and investment promotion agencies, and non-governmental groups.

The meeting offered an opportunity in which member states and investment and development stakeholders can come together to discuss major and emerging issues related to investment, business, and technology. This is along with focusing on their impacts on the sustainable development process and exchanging views on effective solutions and policies for all parties to refer to.

The major content of this session focuses on the latest developments occurring in trends and policies on investment, business, and science and technology for development; best practices in implementing business and investment support policies to serve sustainable development; as well as development directions in using digital business and investment support tools for launching widespread e-government activities.

This is along with exploiting blockchain technology for the purpose of sustainable development, as well as challenges which developing countries are facing when adopting blockchain technology.

Under the chair of Ambassador Dung, delegates held discussions and proposed many specific solutions to the main contents. The Group of 77 and China appreciates UNCTAD's work and analysis on foreign direct investment (FDI) and other investment flows mentioned in the annual World Investment Report (WIR). The also used the event as a platform in which to express concern over insufficient investment capital needed to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

They underlined the urgent need to significantly increase both public and private investment to achieve the SDGs before the 2030 deadline, cited VOV.

The Asia-Pacific Group moved to support UNCTAD's initiatives on investment facilitation and welcomed the topic of blockchain technology at the meeting, noting that despite significant progress, the ASEAN region does not yet have the space to improve, attract, facilitate, and maintain investment.

The group of African countries reaffirmed the need for strategic and sustainable investment in the continent in order to address FDI fluctuations, as well as gaps which hold back the development of critical infrastructure.

Representatives of the group of African countries also evaluated the important role of technology and digital trade in terms of helping countries to overcome barriers in attracting sustainable investment based on the three pillars of society, economics, and the environment.

The commission is set to continue to discuss the main contents of the session in upcoming meetings. In addition, countries will also listen to presentations; and discuss and approve two reports of the commission, including a report on investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship to improve production capacity and sustainable development; and a report of an intergovernmental working group consisting of experts on international accounting and reporting standards.

Vietnam being elected for the first time as chairman at a meeting of a commission within the UNCTAD framework shows the great appreciation of this agency and its member states for policies and achievements in the nation’s investment attraction, and sustainable development over recent years. Indeed, it focuses on Vietnamese priority areas such as digital transformation, green transformation, science-technology, and artificial intelligence.

This is also viewed as an opportunity for the nation to demonstrate its proactive role at UNCTAD, as well as at other UN international forums.

Vietnam secures two more tickets to Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

Vietnam's Nguyen Thuy Linh and Le Duc Phat ranked 17th and 37th in the latest Badminton World Federation rankings with 48,350 and 23,630 points, respectively, securing their spots to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Department of Sports and Physical Training reported on April 30.

Since 2022, both Linh and Phat have set their own determination to participate in various international tournaments in order to accumulate their individual points and achieve a good position on the Badminton World Federation rankings.

Currently, the players are focusing on training inside the country. They also plan to compete in some international tournaments in May and June for best prepare for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic, according to VNA.

Badminton player Nguyen Thuy Linh (Photo: AFP/VNA)

So far, Vietnam has secured 10 official slots to participate in the Olympics, including badminton, shooting, swimming, cycling), weightlifting, boxing, canoeing, and rowing.

Exports remain bright spot in four-month period

During the past four months of the year, Vietnam fetched US$123.64 billion from exports, up 15% from the same period last year, according to details given by the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The total import-export turnover surged by 15.2% to reach US$238.88 billion throughout the reviewed period, of which exports and imports witnessed a rise 15% and 15.4%, respectively.

As many as 21 items enjoyed an export turnover of over US$1 billion, accounting for 86.4% of total export turnover, of which there were five export items that recorded an export turnover of over US$5 billion, accounting for 57.8%.

Most notably, the group of processed industrial goods is estimated to have reached US$108.27 billion, making up 87.5% of the total turnover.

Exports to major markets such as the US, the EU, and China all grew by double digits, with the US remaining as the largest Vietnamese export market with an estimated turnover reaching US$34.1 billion, up 19.1% on-year.

Meanwhile, exports to China, the EU, and the Republic of Korea all soared by 14%, 15%, and 10.2% to reach US$18 billion, US$16.4 billion and US$8.4 billion, respectively.

In the reviewed period, the country posted a trade surplus of US$8.4 billion, higher than the figure of US$7.66 billion from the same period last year, VOV reported.

Photo: VOV

With regard to the agricultural sector, the export turnover of fruits and vegetables in April stood at an estimated US$520 million, thereby bringing the total export value during the four-month period to US$1.8 billion, up over 32% on-year.

As part of efforts to maintain bright export prospects, experts recommend that businesses strive to take full advantage of potential markets where Vietnam has signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Furthermore, local firms are advised to work to diversify markets in order to maintain growth momentum by fully tapping into new markets such as Africa, the Middle East, and South America moving forward.

Event connects Vietnamese students with Korean businesses

About 450 students from universities in the Republic of Korea (RoK), including over 250 Vietnamese students, took part in an event held on April 28 to connect them with 15 companies and 20 business leaders from both countries.

Students take part in a career orientation fair as part of the Beyond forum of career orientation for the youth. (Photo: VNA)

The event was part of the Beyond forum of career orientation for the youth. The Vietnamese students’ associations in three famous Korean universities, namely the Yonsei University, Seoul National University and Korea University, coordinated to hold the forum under the auspices of the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK.

Organizers said the forum provided a platform for students and business leaders to discuss opportunities and challenges in doing business and developing careers, along with support for students to start a career in the two countries, cited VNA.

A career orientation fair also took place to help expand the job network and opportunities for students.

Concluding the event, a representative of Woori Mobile presented gifts to students and expressed the hope that the forum will be held annually to help intensify relations between Vietnamese and Korean students, as well as others from around the world in the RoK, so as to boost their connectivity with enterprises.

Heat to gradually subside in northern and central regions from Wednesday

Heat will gradually decrease from Wednesday in the northern and central regions; and from Saturday in the Central Highlands and the South, said the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

On Monday and Tuesday, the northwestern region and the area from Thanh Hóa Province to Phu Yen Province will have particularly intense heat with the highest temperature commonly ranging from 39 to 42 degrees Celsius, according to the NHCMF.

In some places, it even reaches 42 degrees Celsius. The lowest humidity is about 30-35 percent.

Other areas in the North, Central Highlands, and South experience intense heat with temperatures ranging from 35 to 39 degrees Celsius. Some places are over 39 degrees Celsius.

The lowest humidity is commonly 40-50 percent, cited VNS.

Health experts warn that people should ensure enough protective items to cope with hot weather. Photo: VNS

Regions from Khanh Hoa Province to Binh Thuan Province will have a temperature of 35-36 degree Celsius and humidity of 50-55 percent.

Meteorological experts warn that due to the effects of intense heat combined with low humidity, risks of fires are potential in residential areas.

In addition, heat can also cause dehydration, exhaustion, and heat stroke to the human when exposed to high temperatures for a long time.

To minimize the heat’s harmful health effects, doctors recommend people to increase protective measures such as having sunscreen and sunglasses when going out, drink enough water and raise nutrition with lots of fruits to ensure enough vitamins to intensify the body's resistance.

People should limit going out between 11am and 3pm because this is the time when sunlight is most dangerous, especially for people with weather-sensitive diseases.

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