Vietnamese leader applauds WB’s support to local development

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with World Bank (WB) Group President Jim Yong Kim in Hanoi on February 23, appreciating the WB’s cooperation during Vietnam’s socio-economic development, especially in poverty reduction and sustainable development.

He also spoke highly of the close coordination between Vietnamese agencies and the WB in preparing the report “Vietnam 2035: Toward Prosperity, Creativity, Equity and Democracy”.

The report includes concrete targets and recommendations which match Vietnam’s development orientations, the PM said, highly valuing Kim’s presence in his country to unveil the report.

During three decades of Doi moi (reform), Vietnam has gained substantial and historic accomplishments. However, it is also facing major problems, especially the low development level, severe climate change impacts and lingering war consequences. With local socio-economic infrastructure and manpower training quality not yet meeting the development demand, challenges posed by international economic integration are big, the Cabinet leader noted.

He expressed his hope for the WB’s collaboration, particularly through supporting resources, in seeking preferential sponsorship sources, policy consultancy and technical assistance, to fulfill the country’s development goals.

Jim Yong Kim said Vietnam has attained numerous achievements, particularly in socio-economic development, poverty elimination, development gap-narrowing and the improvement of people’s living standards.

He said he believes that with the achievments already made, a long-term vision, intensive international integration, and effort made by each citizen, Vietnam will make even greater strides in the future.

The WB Group has continually followed and admired Vietnam, which has become one of the world’s great development success stories. It is ready to stand side by side with Vietnam and believes that the country will reach a developed and high-income status, Kim added.

He noted that his delegation’s presence in Hanoi to release the Vietnam 2035 report demonstrated the WB’s strong commitment to Vietnam’s development, and that the World Bank Group will help the country access concessional long-term loans to develop renewable energy, education and health care.

At the end of the meeting, WB Group President Kim presented PM Nguyen Tan Dung with the Vietnam 2035 report, which was compiled over more than a year by Vietnamese and WB specialists.

The report suggests directions and measures in fields that Vietnam should focus on to become an industrialised and upper-middle income nation by 2035, ensure social progress and equality, and strengthen the State’s capacity and accountability.-VNA