Vietnam has achieved its goal in its poverty reduction programme, one of the UN’s eight millennium development goals (MDGs), said Ambassador Bui The Giang.

The Ambassador, who is Deputy Head of the Vietnamese Representative Mission to the UN, made a speech at the UN’s 49 th session in New York on February 9, announcing that the poverty rate in Vietnam has dropped from 58.1 percent in 1993 to 9.45 percent in 2010.

However, following the Prime Minister’s recent decision to adjust the criteria that defines poverty, Vietnam’s poverty rate will stand at 15 percent in 2011.

The Vietnamese Ambassador stated that Vietnam’s policies on poverty reduction not only aim to help raise poor people’s incomes, but also help them to access social services including health care, education and social integration.

Over the past two years, Vietnam has made huge efforts to generate jobs, provide training for workers and make loans and healthcare available to the poor.

He also said that education give the poor more opportunities to find jobs and business partners so Vietnam has focused on education for all but still needs assistance from the international community.

Ambassador Giang expressed his concern about the unfair distribution of sources and natural resources in comparison to the distribution of wealth, so raising of income did not meet all the challenges posed by society.

He added that he was worried that by 2015 millions of people may still be in poverty despite their countries completing their poverty goals.

He said it is necessary to have a comprehensive approach and policies on poverty reduction in line with sustainable development.

The Ambassador affirmed that Vietnam is committed to making every effort to contribute to the current UN session on poverty reduction and the relationship between social integration and jobs for all the people./.