☀️ Morning digest April 1

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

– Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and German Chancellor and leader of the German Social Democratic Party Olaf Scholz agreed to direct the promotion of the countries’ cooperation in the fields of mutual interest in their telephone conversation held on March 31.

During the talks, Trong informed the German leader about Vietnam's achievements after more than 35 years of Doi moi (renewal), as well as the country's development path, foreign policy, and goal of becoming a developed country by 2045. Read full story

– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception for Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Nikorndej Balankura in Hanoi on March 31, during which he underlined the need for Vietnam and Thailand to work together closely in post-pandemic recovery and socio-economic development, especially in strengthening economic connectivity and maintaining supply chains.

Expressing his delight at the fruitful development of the Vietnam-Thailand enhanced strategic partnership in all fields, PM Chinh said that the two countries should further promote trustful cooperation by increasing meetings at all levels and upholding the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the joint cabinet meeting and the joint committee on bilateral cooperation. Read full story

– The Inspection Commission of the Party Central Committee held the 13th meeting from March 28-31 to look into wrongdoings related to some ministries and agencies, including the COVID-19 test kit case at Viet A company. In connection with the Viet A case, the commission concluded that the Party Committees and leaders of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and Ministry of Health (MoH) had shown a lack of responsibility and lax management, resulting in wrongdoings and violations of Party regulations and State laws. Read full story  

– The Foreign Ministry on March 31 launched Vietnam's voluntary midterm report on the implementation of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) third cycle recommendations and announced the country's candidacy to the UN Human Rights Council in the 2023-2025 tenure.

 

The event drew more than 70 delegates who represented many international organisations and foreign diplomatic missions in Vietnam, as well as representatives from Vietnamese ministries and sectors that directly engage in the implementation of the recommendations, non-governmental organisations, and human rights researchers in Vietnam. Read full story

– Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said he hoped Vietnam and Egypt will actively maintain the friendly and cooperative relations when he received the letter of credentials presented by newly-appointed Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Huy Dung in Cairo on March 31. At the event, the Vietnamese diplomat stated Vietnam always attaches importance to its traditional relationship with Egypt and considers Egypt an important partner in the region. Read full story

- The Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs and the French Ministry of Public Sector Transformation and the Civil Service on March 31 signed a cooperation agreement in the field of public services and administrative modernisation. The pact was inked by Vietnamese Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra and French Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolas Warnery on behalf of the two agencies. Read full story

– A press photo exhibition, co-organised by the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Yonhap News Agency and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the occasion of the 30th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (1992-2022), opened at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul on March 31. The event is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the RoK, and the Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul. Read full story

– Doctors of Vietnam’s Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 3 in Bentiu, South Sudan, have recently received a United Nations (UN) delegation led by Assistant Secretary-General for Supply Chain Management Christian Saunders.

The delegation came to Bentiu to survey the consequences of South Sudan’s largest flood in the past 60 years, according to the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Read full story

– Vietnam’s health authorities announced they have expanded the emergency use authorisation for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) to include children from 6 to under 12 years old. The dosage will be 0.25ml, or half of the dosage for adults, according to the Drug Administration of Vietnam. The amendment to the original approval of the vaccine is based on the request and subsequent data submission from Zuellig Pharma Vietnam, which distributes the COVID-19 vaccines in the Asian region./. Read full story