Ministry, UNDP step up efforts on poverty reduction
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA)’s National Coordination Office for Poverty Reduction and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on February 28 signed a memorandum of understanding and launched a project on programme development and policy advising on multidimensional and sustainable poverty reduction for 2021-2023.
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Labour, Invalidsand Social Affairs (MOLISA)’s National Coordination Office for PovertyReduction and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on February 28 signeda memorandum of understanding and launched a project on programme developmentand policy advising on multidimensional and sustainable poverty reduction for2021-2023.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids andSocial Affairs Le Van Thanh stressed the Vietnamese Party, Government andpeople pay great attention to sustainable poverty reduction, considering it a major task throughout the national reform, construction, and development cause.
Vietnam’s poverty rate, which was 58.1 percent in 1993, decreasedto 2.75 percent in 2020 and 2.23 percent in 2021. On January 18 this year, thePrime Minister issued Decision No. 90/QD-TTg approving the national targetprogramme on sustainable poverty reduction in the 2021-2025 period, which focuseson investing in improving the capacity of the poor and clearly identifies thecauses of poverty in order to radically and thoroughly solve the problem.
Thanh noted to implement the decision, the ministry wants toboost bilateral and multilateral cooperation with international partners in orderto successfully achieve the goal of multidimensional, inclusive, andsustainable poverty reduction.
The launched project is a join work among the UNDP, the MoLISA,and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). It hasprovided technical support for the MOLISA in a series of contents, such as researchingand developing the national programme; studying and finalising the poverty lineand instruments for multi-dimensional poverty measurement for the period 2021 -2025 which are relevant to Vietnam; and researching and proposing solutions tosupport the poor affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; among others.
“This project demonstrates the commitment from UNDP tosupport MOLISA in their vision to deliver the National Targeted Programme onSustainable Poverty Reduction. Our tried and tested innovative solutions willbe applied more widely to help meet the national target programme’s objectiveof reducing the number of poor and near-poor households by half by 2025,” saidUNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen.
“Australia is committed to supporting sustainable andinclusive growth in Vietnam. The UNDP-MOLISA partnership that is officiallylaunched today is part of Australia’s commitment. We value this partnership as it has led toinnovative solutions for poverty reduction to be embedded in governmentprograms and policies,” said Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie./.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the WorldShare organisation have recently signed a cooperation agreement to build 73 flood-resilient houses for poor households affected by storms in the central province of Quang Binh.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has approved the Country Programme Document for Vietnam for the 2022-2026 period and a financial package worth over 120 million USD.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang on February 10 held separate talks with Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Vietnam Naomi Kitahara.
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Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
At the signing ceremony (Photo: VNA) 
