World Bank Country Director Victoria Kwakwa pledged stronger aid to Vietnam at a press briefing in Hanoi on November 26 on the threshold of the 2009 consultative group meeting (CG 2009).

We made such a commitment based on our solid relations with the Vietnamese Government and Vietnam ’s effective use of the loans, she explained.

Kwakwa also applauded the Vietnamese Government’s efforts in socio-economic development, poverty reduction and combat against negative impact by the global crisis.

CG 2009 is scheduled to take place in Hanoi on December 3-4 to mull measures to maintain macro-economic stability, restructure the economy for post-crisis growth and improve the public administration.

Also high on the meeting’s agenda are anti-corruption and challenges emerging from the poverty alleviation cause.

Two days before the opening of the meeting, there will be a Vietnam Business Forum under the co-sponsorship of the International Finance Corporation (IFC and the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The event will focus on feedbacks on business climate from international and domestic businesses and a survey on the business circles’ opinions on Vietnam ’s investment potential.

Simon Andrews, Regional Director in charge of Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia and Thailand from the IFC expressed optimism about the Vietnam market’s medium and long-tem development.

He said the government’s stimulus package has really worked, helping the economy recover drastically from impacts of the global crisis.

The FIC senior expert emphasised on the need to develop the capital market, encourage the private sector to invest in infrastructure construction and increase the economy’s competitive edges, especially in exports.

Last year’s consultative group meeting witnessed commitments to over 5 billion USD to the poverty and development programmes in Vietnam by international donors (excluding Japan)./.