Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai welcomed visiting Vice President of the World Bank (WB) Joachim von Amsberg in Hanoi on June 2.

Hai thanked the WB for its assistance for Vietnam over the past time, saying that it is significant to Vietnam as the bank not only provides loans, but also helps Vietnam in institutional reform and sectoral restructuring.

He took the occasion to ask the WB to give Vietnam a transitional period after the up-coming end of the bank’s International Development Association-17 (IDA-17) programme for poor and under-developed countries.

Hailing Vietnam’s development achievements, Amsberg said that the WB is studying new initiatives to support the nation’s development in the time to come.

The WB considers Vietnam a typical example in using its loans efficiently, which makes it easier for the bank to persuade donors to contribute more for its development assistance programmes.

Preferential conditions of loans in the post-IDA-17 period are expected to be lower, but forthcoming negotiations between the WB and Vietnam will be conducted in the spirit of boosting Vietnam’s development, he stated.-VNA