Vietnam Today

As of the end of November, the central government had spent VND25.35 trillion ($1.09 billion) and localities VND30.92 trillion ($1.34 billion) on Covid-19 prevention and control efforts and support for people in difficulty because of the pandemic.

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly gave opinions on investment in the East North-South Expressway project on December 10. This is the most essential project in the country, connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and passing through 32 cities and provinces. It will affect 62.1 per cent of the population, 65.7 per cent of GDP, 74 per cent of seaports, and 75 per cent of economic zones, while connecting four key economic regions and 16 of 23 airports with 91 per cent of passenger traffic.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam will transfer 5.15 million tons of CO2 to Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF), to reduce emissions from 4.26 million ha of forests in the south-central region and the central highlands in the 2022-2026 period and receive nearly $52 million.

At a working session with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 8, Vietnam Social Security set a target of 23.1 million people participating in social insurance by the end of 2025 and 18 million in unemployment insurance, accounting for 45 per cent and 35 per cent, respectively, of the workforce, while the health insurance coverage is to be 95 million people, or 95 per cent of the population.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai told the “Maintaining the link to ensure the supply chain of Vietnamese goods” conference on December 8 that although the fourth wave of Covid-19 seriously affected production and distribution in Vietnam, the development of domestic goods nonetheless remained strong. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, Vietnamese enterprises have sufficient capacity to produce quality goods that meet strict requirements in markets such as the US, the EU, and Japan, so can set criteria for manufacturers serving the domestic market.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will finish the National Strategy on Climate Change to 2050, develop an Action Plan to reduce methane emissions by 2030, and implement the National Green Growth Strategy, among other tasks, as a part of Vietnam's COP26 commitments. The greatest challenge for the country is a lack of relevant human resources.