Hanoi: The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
– After more than a year serving as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2023-2025 term, Vietnam has left significant imprints, appreciated by the international community.
On this occasion, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet has penned an article reflecting on Vietnam’s first year as an UNHRC member for the 2023-2025 term.
– Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UNESCO, had working sessions on February 27 – 28 with Qu Xing, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO; Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO; and Anthony Ohemeng Boamah, Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations.
During the meetings, the Vietnamese diplomat emphasised the importance of multilateralism and the role and contributions by UNESCO in addressing increasing global challenges, contributing to preserving peace a
nd security, and promoting sustainable development in the world.
– The 23rd conference of the nine provinces of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand that share the use of Road 8 and Road 12 took place in the northeastern Thai province of Sakon Nakhon on February 27 – 29 to review their cooperation in 2023 and propose future cooperation directions.
The event saw the participation of representatives from the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Binh of Vietnam; Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom and Nong Khai provinces of Thailand; and Bolikhamxay and Khammouane province of Laos. It was also attended by representatives of dozens of businesses from the three countries.
– Vietnam earned some 9.84 billion USD from agro-forestry-fishery exports in the first two months of this year, representing a year-on-year rise of 50.3%, and a trade surplus of 2.68 billion USD, up nearly 2.9-fold, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported.
In February alone, the revenue stood at 4.48 billion USD, up 21.8%
year-on-year, but down 16.5% from January.
– Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports in the first two months of this year surged 38% to about 749.7 million USD, which is expected to peak at nearly 7 billion USD this year.
The sector is hoped to remain a bright spot in 2024 as many businesses reported that order books are full until the end of the first quarter, according to Lao dong (Labour) Newspaper.
– Vietnam hosted more than 3 million foreign tourists in January and February, increasing by 68.7% annually and almost equal to the pre-pandemic level.
According to official figures released by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO) on February 29, air travelers accounted for 84.2% of the sum, up 1.6 times compared to 2023, road and sea passengers made up 12.8% and 3%, respectively.
– Vietnam saw more than 22,000 newly-established firms in the first two months of this year with total registered capital amounting to 218.71 trillion VND (over 8.87 billion USD), according to the General Statistics Offic
e (GSO).
The figures represented yearly increases of 12.4% in the number of firms and 32.8% in capital, it said.
– Ho Chi Minh City authorities have freshly assigned tasks of stimulating foreign investment attraction, with the municipal Department of Information and Communications asked to suggest measures drawing tech firms into local software and semiconductors sectors.
The Department of Planning and Investment, meanwhile, is tasked with joining the implementation of steps to attract direct foreign capital and making recommendations of selective criteria for foreign-funded projects in the southern economic hub.
– Seventy-two Vietnamese students won medals at the International Talent Mathematics Contest 2024 (ITMC 2024) organised in Thailand on February 24-27.
The students brought home 34 gold and 25 silver medals and one merit prize, marking the best achievement that Vietnamese students have earned at this contest so far. ./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency