Vietnam needs support and technical assistance from donors, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Cam Tu told a seminar on Beyond WTO Programme held in Hanoi on September 23.

Deputy Minister Tu, who is also Chairman of the Steering Committee on B-WTO Programme, reviewed achievements and challenges in Vietnam’s international economic integration, emphasising that the process has brought about positive results and impacts on as well as posed challenges to the country’s socio-economic development.

The Government has called on donors to help Vietnam in managing its international economic integration and market economy transition since the country became the organisation’s full member over six years ago, he said.

In response to the Government’s appeal, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) have assisted the programme in order to help the Vietnamese Government manage its process of international economic integration and transition to market economy during the post-WTO period.

In the first phase from January 2007 to March 2008, the programme helped build the Governmnet’s action plan and translated it into action programmes for the ministry, departments and localities. It also helped implement a mechanism of the multi-donor trust fund.

In the second phase which started from September 2009, the programme focuses on the implementation of priorities in the Government’s action plan.

Over the past four years, 48 projects have been carried out, focusing on the improvement of market economy institutions, the settlement of the integration’s socio-economic challenges in rural areas, the enhancement of management and coordination capacity, and the implementation of action programmes in localities.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Hugh Borrowman stressed the important step of the WTO accession during Vietnam’s integration, and pointed out future challenges for the country such as competitiveness, the implementation of WTO commitments and the settlement of the economy’s issues.

At the event, the deputy minister affirmed the significance of the programme to Vietnam’s process of international economic integration and transition to market economy since joining the WTO.

He said technical assistance is expected to be further implemented and help the Government manage the country’s global economic integration.-VNA