Two domestic airlines – Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airlines – currently operate flights to Con Dao Airport. (Photo: VNA)Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan has freshly signed a document requesting competent agencies start projects at the Con Dao airport in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau in an effort to enable the airport to host 2 million passengers per year.Accordingly, the ministry has asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to coordinate with such parties as the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) and the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) regarding the implementation of these projects.The projects include the development of passenger terminals, aircraft aprons, flight management facilities, and petroleum depots. They are set to be launched in line with the implementation progress of a CAAV-funded project on runway and taxiway upgrades at the airport.In addition, feasibility and progress reports on implementation adjustments are to be prioritized at the soonest.The ministry agreed with the AVC’s proposal on the scale of construction in phase 1. The projects will enable the airport to host 1 million passengers annually, which may increase to 2 million.Despite the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, Con Dao airport served 447,750 passengers in 2020, up 4.1 percent from 2019.In the adjusted airport planning by 2030 approved by Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The, the airport is to have a capacity of 2 million passengers and 4,400 tonnes of cargo per year./.

A scene in the film "Cuoc doi cua Yen” (The Life of Yen) (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – A Vietnamese film week took place in the Tulio Febres Cordero culture centre in Mérida state, Venezuela from July 15-20. Hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela, the event aimed to give Venezuelan audiences and international friends an insight into the country, people and culture of Vietnam. Addressing the opening ceremony, Ambassador Le Viet Duyen highlighted the outstanding milestones in the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Venezuela in the fields of politics, economy, culture and society. He said cinematic works screened during the event convey messages about Vietnam's culture, history, human personality and social life, thus strengthening understanding, cooperation and close between the two countries’ people. The film screenings have attracted a large number of Venezuelan audiences./.

Deputy Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)– Vietnam has been intensifying efforts to bring a stop to human trafficking in recent years, according to Deputy Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang.Hang was responding to a question during a regular press briefing regarding the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report launched by the US Department of State She said to implement the programme on anti-human trafficking for 2021 - 2025, with a vision to 2030, Vietnam has been stepping up measures to prevent human trafficking with the engagement of all ministries, sectors and localities. It has also issued documents guiding the enforcement of the 2020 law on Vietnamese working abroad under contracts, along with policies and laws to fight human trafficking and forced labour , assist victims, and protect children in cyber space.In reality, the fight against domestic and cross-border human trafficking is always being reviewed so that timely and appropriate solutions are taken, Hang said, noting that Vietnam is continuing its efforts to carry out the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration to consolidate a transparent migration environment and prevent risks of human trafficking The deputy spokeswoman said Vietnam hopes the US will cooperate more closely to offer an all-round assessment of the situation of and efforts against human trafficking in Vietnam.Vietnam is ready to discuss specific cooperation issues with other countries, including the US and relevant parties, to effectively prevent and control human trafficking, she added./.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Delegates to the consultation (Photo: VNA)– The Ministry of Education and Training has said that three pillars in Vietnam's education transformation in the coming time will be transformation of the governance system, environmental transformation and digital technology.The information was shared at a national consultation on transforming education held on July 20 by the ministry, with support from UNICEF and UNESCO.The aim is to develop a shared vision, commitment and alignment of action across constituencies to transform education in Vietnam according to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The outcomes of this consultation will contribute to the Transforming Education Global Summit in September, as convened by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator to Vietnam, said that with orientations of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, it is time for revamp in the sector.“We need to prioritise the issues in the education sector that will help Vietnam achieve the education-related SDG targets: issues such as inequity in access, learning loss, digital divide, gender gaps, education financing gaps, and specific needs of education for particular groups of children and young people,” she said“Innovative approaches are needed to serve as levers for game-changing transformations of education policy and practice in the medium and longer-term. Therefore, active involvement and support of different government ministries, such as health, labour, environment, social development, finance, information and telecommunications, and youth are essential to ensure the commitments are turned into action, with an investment to reform,” shared Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam.“This meeting comes at a critically important time, as Vietnam rethinks and reaffirms its approaches to achievement of SDG4. UNESCO is actively supporting education systems all over the world to engage in a global debate on how knowledge, education and learning need to be reimagined in a world of increasing complexity, uncertainty, and precarity and the results of this discussion will be important contributions,” said Christian Manhart, UNESCO Country Representative.To successfully carry out the educational transformation, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Education and Training stressed the need for cooperation and commitment to accompany of ministries and agencies, and public-private cooperation among stakeholders, schools, businesses, communities and the society to build collaborative models towards educational transformation for the development of the country./.

Illustrative photo (Source: thainews.prd.go.th)As the Mekong River water level is rising steadily and people living along its two banks in Thailand have been warned to be ready for dealing with floods that can happen at any time.Since the start of July the water level has risen 10-15cm per day, swollen by continuous rain, local media reported.On July 19, the river was about 6m high, 3m below the river bank edge, which is 9m. A warning has been issued to communities along the river banks in Muang, Ban Phaeng, Tha Uthen and That Phanom districts, urging them to prepare for flooding Four large water pumps have also been installed to help discharge flood water into the river and protect riverside communities./.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - The Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and Vietnamese trade offices in Africa will jointly organise a session to give consultations to domestic businesses on exporting coffee to the African market. With a population of over 1.4 billion people, and the high demand in importing many types of goods, Africa is really a promising market for Vietnamese products, especially coffee. The market spends about 750 million USD on importing coffee, in which, Vietnam is one of the five main coffee suppliers. In addition to raw products, a number of Vietnamese coffee processors such as Trung Nguyen and King Coffee, are also interested in this market. The programme will offer a good chance for Vietnamese businesses to learn about the market, thereby avoiding risks when exporting coffee to African countries./.

VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang and VSS General Director Nguyen The Manh will exchange the signed coordination agreement on 20 July. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and Vietnam social security (VSS) signed an agreement on 20 July on the coordination of the dissemination of policies and laws on social, health and unemployment insurance in the period 2022-2026. She stressed the need to renew the coordination agreement, especially when ministries, sectors and localities are working to implement the socio-economic recovery and development program and guarantee social security in the post-pandemic period. VSS’s CEO, Nguyen The Manh, highlighted some achievements in the implementation of insurance policies, attributing these findings in part to contributions from press agencies, including the VNA. The official said that he believes that the implementation of this coordination agreement will succeed in helping to ensure social security as a goal for the party and the state./.

Business Vietsovpetro works to enhance oil recovery factor The Russia-Vietnam oil and gas joint venture Vietsovpetro is undertaking a series of solutions to increase oil output in the remaining months of the year. Business Reference exchange rate down 7 VND The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate for the US dollar at 23,214 VND/USD on July 20, down 7 VND from the previous day. Business Vietnam Airlines promotes Vietnam’s tourism in Malaysia Vietnam Airlines' representative office Malaysia, in conjunction with travel companies Asia Companion Travel and Vietnam TravelMar, organised a tourism promotion workshop, themed "Exploring Vietnam with Vietnam Airlines", in Kuala Lumpur on July 19.Business Deputy PM Le Minh Khai receives Grab leader Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai hosted a reception in Hanoi on July 19 for Anthony Tan, Group CEO and Co-Founder of Grab - a mobile technology company based in Singapore, during which the Vietnamese Government leader urged the company to pay more attention to interest sharing.

At the Japanese-invested Nidec Tosok Vietnam Co., Ltd, which manufactures mechanical parts in Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Thuan export processing zone. Unlike the ASEAN-4 nations (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines), Vietnam shares a border with China, which makes it easier for manufacturing firms in Vietnam to integrate into China’s vast network.The article added that in the downstream side, incorporating Vietnam into the supply chain is also a relatively unencumbering process. This is because Vietnam is home to two international airports, several major ports, reliable power, and easy internet access. Vietnam has weathered the COVID-induced supply chain disruptions well, still being regarded as a key and growing manufacturing hub. As the government continues to strike free trade agreements around the world and invest in domestic transportation and communication infrastructure, Vietnam’s prominence as a rising manufacturing centre seems poised to continue to grow./.

(Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The World Bank (WB)’s policy consultancy has significantly contributed to socio-economic development and the fulfillment of development targets in Vietnam, Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member, President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and Chairman of the Central Theory Council said on July 19. At a working session with WB Managing Director of Operations Axel van Trotsenburg in Hanoi, Thang affirmed that Vietnam always regards the bank a good friend and an important development partner. The official also called for further assistance from the bank in strategic infrastructure development, sustainable development, green growth, gas emissions and climate change response. Vietnam has seen high growth, he said, asking Vietnam to share its development experience with other countries and make more contributions to handling global issues. Regarding the Vietnam 2045 report, van Trotsenburg highlighted the important role of experts from the academy in the compilation of the report towards turning Vietnam into a developed, high-income nation by that time./.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Duong Quoc Thanh (R) succeeds Malaysian Ambassador Nur Azman Abdul Rahim to become ACBA Chair (Photo: VNA)– Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Duong Quoc Thanh has assumed the position of ASEAN Committee in Buenos Aires (ACBA) Chair for six months during a meeting of the committee on July 18.The Vietnamese ambassador, who succeeds Malaysian Ambassador Nur Azman Abdul Rahim, pledged to work hard to promote the achievements of the committee and make practical contributions to strengthening cooperation between ASEAN and Argentina as well as Uruguay and Paraguay where he covers.Ambassadors from ASEAN countries expressed their belief that Ambassador Thanh will successfully complete his mission in the next six months, contributing to enhancing the image and position of ASEAN members in Argentina and the region.They agreed on Vietnam’s proposals on strengthening cooperation with local authorities and businesses, organising visits to potential localities of Argentina to enhance connectivity and boost political and economic partnerships with them, meeting local scholars, experts and politicians to get better understanding of the host country, and holding a number of activities to promote the ASEAN image and connect the association and local community.The Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina will chair the celebration of the 55th anniversary of the ASEAN founding anniversary as well as exchange activities among ASEAN representative agencies in Buenos Aires such as the ASEAN Family Day, sports culinary and cultural activities to strengthen understanding and solidarity among members of the association./.

- President Joko Widodo has recently said he was optimistic Indonesia's economy could have expanded 5.1% in the second quarter of 2022, supported by increasing public consumption and investment amid robust investors' confidence in the country.The President underlined Indonesia's resilience in the face of rising inflation and growing global recession risks.The largest economy in Southeast Asia grew by 5.01 percent in the first quarter of this year as the country rebounded to its expansion pace before the COVID-19 pandemic.The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Indonesia will announce the second quarter growth result on August 5.Economic activities in the nation have returned to normal, with the number of COVID-19 cases easing. The middle class was spending again during the festive month of Ramadan and Idul Fitri, boosting households' consumption accounting for 53 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).Indonesia also saw a substantial inflow of foreign direct investment in the past few quarters. This is also a good signal as investment accounts for 30 percent of its GDP.On top of that, the country has been posting trade surpluses for the 25th straight month, which Jokowi credited to his policy to push nickel and several other metals downstream industry.In another development, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that Indonesia's risk to experience a recession is relatively small compared to other countries. Indonesia sees that its domestic situation is relatively good. Some countries have entered recession, but Indonesia has a very small potential for recession compared to other countries, which is only three percent, he said./.

Leading officials of PetroVietnam and Gazprom _ Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)– The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) is considered a pioneer economic group in international cooperation and investment expansion abroad. The first team of petroleum technicians in Vietnam were formally trained at famous Soviet universities. In 1992, the group inked dozens of oil and gas exploration and production contracts with international partners.Cooperation between PetroVietnam and international partners were initially limited to oil and gas exploration and production projects. The milestone marked the success of PetroVietnam's overseas investment in oil and gas exploration and production. It boasts a large scale, highly competitive and significant international integration.

Vietnamese guest workers returning from Lybia arrive at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport. (Photo: VNA)A migrant health handbook, which provides basic information, advice and guidance for health needs of migrant workers, was introduced at a workshop held by the General Office for Population and Family Planning ( GOPFP ) in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Vietnam in Hanoi on July 18.Addressing the event, GOPFP Director General Nguyen Doan Tu said migration is a global phenomenon, with around 281 million international migrants worldwide; 48% of whom were women and 60% were migrant workers Vietnam’s population has reached 98 million, ranking 15th globally, eighth in Asia and third in ASEAN, Tu said. Healthy migrants can be crucial workforce for the well-being of businesses and the economy as a whole, he said.The migrant health handbook was initiated by a technical group for migrant health in Vietnam established by the Ministry of Health. IOM has discussed with concerned parties in Japan and the RoK about establishing a platform for cooperation in protecting health of Vietnamese migrants and feedback has been positive.About 600,000 Vietnamese migrants are living and working in more than 40 countries and territories worldwide. Remittance to Vietnam was estimated at around 3 – 4 billion USD annually./.

Cos with Overseas Liabilities Rush to Cover Currency Risk Importers and overseas borrowers are rushing to cover their currency risk after the rupee fell to ₹80 against the US dollar in both over-the-counter and derivatives markets on Thursday, leading to forward premium jumping 11-17 basis points across maturities on Friday. Rupee Gains Against G10 Currencies The rupee is delivering its best performance since 2015 against a basket of the heaviest traded currencies, ignoring the life-time low it hit the past week against the US dollar.