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  • Vinh Long
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  • Vung Tau
  • Yen Bai

Top-ten imprints in Gov’t and PM’s performance in 2009

VGP – Amid the global economic crisis in 2009, the Vietnamese Government has shown its active, drastic and creative performance to lift the country out of difficulties and gain more socio-economic achievements. The following are top-ten imprints in the Government and the PM’s performance in 2009, selected by VGP.

December 29, 2009 7:24 PM GMT+7

In 2009, Việt Nam succeeds in reining in economic downturn and obtaining a GDP growth rate of 5.2%, the highest in Southeast Asia
1. Việt Nam records the highest GDP growth rate in the region – 5.2%

To cope with the global crisis, the Government timely allocated US $1 billion to stimulate investment, production and consumption while offering interest rate subsidies of 4% for organizations and individuals to take loans from commercial banks.

Through tax reductions, postponements and exemptions, expanding domestic markets and launching the “Buy Việt Nam” campaign, the Government created an important impetus for enterprises and people to consolidate their capability, maintain production and generate 1.5 million jobs.

The Government leaders regularly worked with economic groups and local authorities to seek for measures to promote production, business and export, prevent recession, and secure macro-economic stability.

Thanks to those solutions, Việt Nam successfully curbed economic downturn and attained the GDP growth rate of 5.2%, boasting for itself as one of 12 countries with positive GDP growth worldwide and the highest-growing Southeast Asian nation.

The Vietnamese Government and PM make many important decisions in 2009 in order to escort the country through difficulties. These photos show some regular meetings of the Government – Photo: VGP

2. Inflation rate kept below 7%

The Government adopted flexible and caustious financial and monetary policies in order to encourage export, narrow trade gap, and control means of payment and outstanding credits. To prevent pressures of hiking interst rates and inflation, the Government timely readjusted interest rate subsidiaries, tightened long and medium-term loans and terminated interest rate subsidies for working capital loans.

As a result, the total budget collection continued to surge in 2009, standing around VND 390.65 trillion, equivalent to 100.2% of the year estimate. Meanwhile, the budget overspending was controlled belowed 7% of GDP and slashed down the galloping inflation rate from 19.89% last year to around 7%.

About 1,110 projects were provided with financial guarantees, worth of VND 8,360 billion in total.

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (center) directs local authorities to repair damages caused by Typhoon Ketsana, Cửa Đại, Hội An Town, central province of Quảng Nam, October 01, 2009 – Photo: Nguyễn Hùng

3. Expenditure for social security surges 62% against 2008; poor households reduced to 11%

The Government and the PM paid special attention to social security for poor people, beneficiaries of social policies and disadvantaged areas.

The Government revised, supplemented and issued many poverty-reducing and social security policies, such as providing allowances to the poor (in the traditional Lunar New Year festival 2009), laid-off workers, and low-income civil servants (in first four months); speeding up the realization of the Program on poverty reduction in 62 poorest districts nationwide; building water supply works in densely-populated islands and ethnic minority areas; facilitating the construction of houses for rural residents, students, workers in concentrated industrial parks, and low-income people in urban areas; and increasing the benchmark salary.

The total spending for social security is estimated to be VND 22,470 billion, 62% higher than 2008. The Government has provided over 41,500 tons of rice for natural disaster-hit areas. Enterprises have given 62 poorest districts with more than VND 1,600 billion. At the end of 2009, the rate of poor households is around 11%.

The plan of the Rồng Beach Eco-tourism Project in the central province of Quảng Nam, the biggest FDI project in 2009 with the registered capital of US $4.15 billion

4. High sums of FDI and ODA amid the global financial crisis and economic recession

Việt Nam has continued to consolidate its relations with neighbor countries; upgraded and deepened ties with big countries; and strengthened cooperation with many potential partners worldwide.

The Government took many measures to highlight Việt Nam’s active role in the cooperation with ASEAN; successfully hosted the 9th ASEM Ministers Meeting; fruitfully acted as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council; and issued the overall plan to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2010.

The Government leaders placed focus on economic cooperation through their foreign tours; promoted external economic promotion; proactively negotiated and implemented the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with some countries; penned and put the Việt Nam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA) into reality.

Acknowledging its increasing position, international donors pledged to offer Việt Nam the ever biggest high ODA of over US $8 billion in 2010. The country has managed to attract over US $21 billion in FDI. Despite negative impacts of the global economic recession, Việt Nam’s external trade turnover reached US $130 billion. Vietnamese investors are running 457 projects in 50 countries and territories, with the capital amount of US $7.2 billion.

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng presses the button to launch the national database of administrative procedures, Hà Nội, October 26, 2009 – Photo: VGP

5. For the first time, the Government publicizes the national database of administrative procedures

The Government and the PM have continued to direct administrative reforms. The PM decided to establish a working team in charge of administrative procedures reform.

For the first time, a national database of administrative formalities was launched, with over 5,700 procedures applied at four governmental levels from central to grassroots. All ministries and provincial-level governments introduced their own set of administrative procedures, marking a great leap forward in simplifying and abrogating at least 30% of current administrative procedures.

Việt Nam hosts the 3rd Asian Indoor Games from October 30 to November 9, 2009

6. Vigorous development seen in education, health, culture, sports, science, technology and environment

The Government submitted to the National Assembly for approving the plan on new financial mechanism for education and training sector; offered nearly VND 18,800 billion in preferential credit loans for students, doubling the 2008 figure.

Information and communication technologies vigorously flourished. The total number of telephone subscribers surpassed 113.6 million and Internet users 22.4 million.

Epidemic prevention and food hygiene and safety were enhanced. In 2009, 85 district hospitals and 16 provincial polyclinics have been built in mountainous and disadvantaged localities.

The Government directed the drafting of scenarios  to respond to climate change and sea level rise.

Việt Nam successfully hosted the 3rd Asian Indoor Games (AIG 3). The Vietnamese athletes occupied the 2nd position both at AIG 3 and the recent 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos.

The Government is directing the construction and completion of projects to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thăng Long–Hà Nội,

7. Initial achievements recognized in anti-corruption, anti-prodigality and thrift practice

In 2009, the Government has concluded a series of bills (27/31) and ordinances for the NA’s consideration and approval.

The Government and the PM have directed the enforcement of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents through many new ways, such as reducing the number of documents, announcing their date of coming into effect; and publicizing all draft documents on the Government Web Portal.

Positive changes were seen in preventing and combating corruption. Competent authorities have inspected 297 corruption cases with 680 suspects; prosecuted 163 cases and 391 internees; collected VND 39.97 billion for the State budget.

The Government starts videoconferences since its March 2009  regular meeting - Photo: VGP

8. The Government renovates its working style

The Government and the PM continued to renovate their working style in 2009. All Government’s working programs and plans described missions, assignments and responsibilities for each and every implementer.

The Office of Government perfected its organization in order better its performance as the advisory agency of the Government and the PM. The Office organized nearly 100 working trips made by the PM to different localities. 

Also in 2009, the Government and State administrative agencies have sped up IT application in their operations. Hundreds of videoconferences have been organized at all levels.

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (5th from right) presses the button to launch the new interface of the Government Web Portal, October 10, 2009 - Photo: VGP

9. New milestone planted in the e-government development process

To provide transparent information to the public, after each the Government’s regular meeting, the Minister, Chairman of the Office of Government, as the Government’s spokesperson, hosted a press conference to inform socio-economic situations and the Government’s directions.

In addition, through the Government Web Portal (VGP) and ministerial and local websites/portals, the PM and government leaders provided formal information to people and mass media while receiving the latter’s comments on draft legal documents.

On October 10, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng launched the VGP’s new interface and the Government’s online newspaper, planting a new milestone in the e-government development process in Việt Nam. This was considered an impetus for the birth of various ministerial, sectoral and local websites/portals mushrooming in late 2009, forming an online administrative information network which is the instrument and the driving force for administrative reforms, especially when Việt Nam is deeply integrating into the region and the world.

10. National defense, security and social safety guaranteed

The Government has directed the implementation of the Strategy on Fatherland Protection and the Strategy on National Security in order to consolidate and protect national defense and security, sharpen strengths and fighting spirit of armed forces, and secure national sovereignty, whole-people solidarity, political stability, social safety and order.

The year 2009 marks the third time Việt Nam announced its “White Book on National Defense” showing the views of follow a military policy of peace and self-defense with the guideline of not using force or threatening to use force in international relations, and solving divergences and disputes through peaceful solutions.

By Xuân Hồng