A round-table workshop with a focus on the prevention of corruption in the management and use of land was held in Hanoi on May 16, as a preparation for the ninth anti-corruption dialogue.

Deputy General Director of the Government Inspectorate Tran Duc Luong opened the workshop, reaffirming that in Vietnam , land and minerals were under the people’s ownership and State management.

Careful management and appropriate, effective exploitation of land and minerals were a premise for sustainable development, ensuring social security, he said, adding that in fact there were shortcomings and ineffectiveness in management and use of natural resources.

Mari Ottotson, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission of the Swedish Embassy in Vietnam , said the workshop was an open and frank forum to share views on corruption in land use and management. She said she hoped to receive positive contributions to strengthening probity in land issues in Vietnam , especially after the eighth dialogue six months ago.

Participants acknowledged positive changes in anti-corruption, particularly management of land, procedural transparency, administrative reform, plus detection and handling of corruption cases.

They discussed shortcomings in fighting corruption in Vietnam , as well as anti-corruption measures taken from the eighth dialogue.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment would continue to study regulations relating to land assignment and leasing, anti-corruption measures and administrative reform, improve and train managerial human resources and modernise the land administration dossier system, creating a mechanism to increase community oversight of officials and state management agencies at all levels, on land management and use.

The workshop was scheduled to run until May 17./.