Last year, Vietnamese cinnamon accounted for 18.2% in output and 34.4% of the export market share globally. India is Vietnam’s biggest importer, accounting for some 44% of the market share, followed by the US and Bangladesh. According to the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association, Vietnam is lacking a national-level strategy on sustainable development of cinnamon sector. At a national conference on sustainable development of the cinnamon sector held in Hanoi on November 15, a public-private partnership working group on pepper and spices was established. The group presented a number of directions for the development of the cinnamon sector, including determining land fund and planting area scale, perfecting policies and mechanisms, and developing semi-processing and processing facilities and consumption markets, among others./.

Many US businesses are interested in Vietnam and most large US companies have invested in Vietnam. This is the first time the country has held this position at one of the two most important governing bodies of UNESCO, Ngoc, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, told the Vietnam News Agency. Symposium explores potential of Vietnam - Germany innovation cooperationThe Consulate General of Vietnam in Frankfurt city of Germany and the Vietnam - Germany Innovation Network (VGInetwork) have held a symposium looking into the prospects of the two countries’ cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), innovation, and smart city development. Czepelak expected that the PCA Vietnam Conference to become an annual event and Vietnam will become an arbitration venue in cases handled by the PCA. He expressed his hope that similar exhibitions will be held in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Paris.

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan praised the achievements Vietnamplus has achieved in recent times. During 15 years of construction and growth, the electronic newspaper has been awarded many noble awards by the Party and State, and has been honored for many times with domestic and international awards, she noted. Appreciating the paper’s efforts, VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang emphasized that, Vietnamplus has demonstrated its role as a pioneer in creating digital journalistic products, contributing to building and developing VNA into a national multimedia news agency. On this occasion, VietnamPlus launched a new interface, incorporating Artificial Intelligence into the operational process as well as news management./.

PARIS — As the Vice President representing the Asia-Pacific of the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference, Việt Nam will help build consensus and seek appropriate solutions to urgent issues of the Asia-Pacific and UNESCO, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hà Kim Ngọc. Việt Nam was elected to the post at the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference, which is taking place in Paris from November 11 to 22. This is the first time the country has held this position at one of the two most important governing bodies of UNESCO, Ngọc, who is also Chairman of the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO, told the Vietnam News Agency. Over 47 years of cooperation, Ngọc added, Việt Nam has continually been assessed as a dynamic and responsible member by UNESCO leaders, and described by the UNESCO Director-General as a model of effective cooperation with this organisation. The high-level contributions to the shaping of strategic issues and global policies are another success of Việt Nam at UNESCO as seen in its ministers’ participation in international events of UNESCO.

“The planning of the Red River, a landmark of the capital, will take five main directions. Consulting units have suggested building more bridges to increase connectivity between both sides of the Red River. According to Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem, former Director of the Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture, building bridges across the Red River creates "connecting circles" to ensure connectivity between areas on the two banks of the Red River. Rural tourism has also contributed to conserving and promoting regional and ethnic cultures, which attracts investment and improves local economies. It also provides information about travel tours, rural tourism products, OCOP, and regional specialties to draw more visitors, thus yielding high economic value for rural tourism.

HÀ NỘI — The stock market experienced a solid recovery on Tuesday, with notable gains observed in the banking, mining and securities stocks groups, boosting investor confidence. On the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index gained 0.88 per cent to close at 1,109.73 points. The securities group also gained strongly with two giants SSI Securities Inc (SSI) and VNDirect Securities Co (VND) both climbed 1 per cent. On a sector basis, 21 out of 25 sector indices on the stock market gained ground, including banking, wholesale, construction, rubber production, IT and logistics, agriculture, real estate, food and beverage, retail, seafood production, construction materials, securities, and plastic and chemical production. The HNX-Index on the Hà Nội Stock Exchange (HNX) rose 0.58 per cent to close Tuesday at 227.43 points.

One of the purposes of APEC 2023 is to mark 30 years since the first APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting was held in the US. President Thuong and his spouse will lead a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2023 and bilateral activities in San Francisco from November 14 to 17. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the trip, Dung said Vietnam, a highly active member of the forum, has served as Chair and host of APEC economic leaders’ weeks twice. The official underlined that Vietnam has affirmed its role in managing and speeding up the implementation of APEC cooperation through undertaking important positions in the forum’s mechanisms. Tea Seiha agreed to develop their countries’ defence cooperation to a new height, during their talks in Hanoi on November 13.

Rural tourism has also contributed to conserving and promoting regional and ethnic cultures, which attracts investment and improves local economies. To meet the country's full tourism potential, diverse and special tourist destinations and tourism products have been introduced, with over 400 tourist spots providing agro-tourism, rural tourism, and community-based tourism, said the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism. Aiming to improve social awareness of the importance of developing rural tourism in a sustainable direction, the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism has recently established a webpage (https://nongthon.vietnamtourism.gov.vn) as part of the national programme of developing rural tourism in the 2021-2025 period. It also provides information about travel tours, rural tourism products, OCOP, and regional specialties to draw more visitors, thus yielding high economic value for rural tourism. Visitors to the page can also learn about national and global tourism models, as well as shared experiences on enhancing rural tourism, green tourism, community-based tourism, ecotourism, and applying digital transformation to the field.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA)Officials at the 33rd APEC Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2022 (Photo: VNA)– President Vo Van Thuong ’s attendance in the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week in the US this year demonstrates Vietnam’s support for multilateralism in general and the APEC process in particular, said Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung.President Thuong and his spouse will lead a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2023 and bilateral activities in San Francisco from November 14 to 17.In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the trip, Dung said Vietnam, a highly active member of the forum, has served as Chair and host of APEC economic leaders’ weeks twice. It has made a number of contributions and proposed many initiatives to promote the APEC process, and its engagement has also reflected its support for the forum’s principles and processes.Vietnam is ready to coordinate with other member economies to help this process develop even more, ensure sustainable economic development, and generate new opportunities and advantages, especially the conditions to address existing difficulties, problems, uncertainties, and challenges posed by the highly complicated world situation, he noted.The diplomat added that the country’s participation in this year’s APEC event in the US is also a chance for it to step up bilateral relations with the North American country after the two sides elevated their ties to the comprehensive strategic partnership.On this occasion, President Thuong and the Vietnamese delegation will take part in many activities in San Francisco, including meetings with local officials, scholars, and businesses to implement the agreements reached when the new partnership was formed, according to the diplomat.Dung noted that APEC is a regional economic forum gathering 21 member economies, including the world’s biggest.Amid numerous uncertainties and challenges in the world situation, this time’s APEC event will be an occasion for leaders of the 21 member economies to discuss these challenges and solutions, the policy coordination among them, how to secure the fastest possible economic recovery, and how to ensure healthy and strong economic development in the coming time.The theme of this year’s APEC is “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All”. With the focuses on connectivity, innovation and inclusiveness, leaders will look into many issues of global economies’ concern, including the maintenance of sustainable supply chains, digital transformation, digital trade, energy transition, climate change fight, and green economy, he went on.One of the purposes of APEC 2023 is to mark the 30 years since the first APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting took place in Blake Island at the invitation of then US President Bill Clinton. The US’s third hosting of the meeting shows this country’s commitment to regional economic development as well as its sense of responsibility towards the global economy, Ambassador Dung remarked./.

Malaysia wants to take proactive actions in the national disaster response. Of the total, 332 relief centres capable of accommodating 129,096 people are located in Sabah, the official said. Malaysia wants to take proactive actions in the national disaster response, Armizan stressed, noting that every year, authorised agencies make preparations, including establishing relief centres, to effectively respond to any bad possibilities that may occur. The construction of relief centres, which have better facilities compared to temporary relief centres, aims to provide permanent infrastructure for victims seeking temporary shelter, he said. When tabling the 2024 budget estimate in October, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government will provide such centres in nine states which are frequently affected by floods.

World Luxury Awards 2023 – “the Palme d’Or of the international travel industry”World Luxury Awards is among the most reputable annual awards celebrating hotels and resorts with prominent achievements in the nominated categories across the globe. The voting took place on the official websites of the World Luxury Awards, attracting votes from over 300,000 experts, travel agents, and travelers around the world. Sheraton Hai Phong makes an impression at its first nominationDefeating many competitors worldwide to win in the category of “Luxury Hotel & Conference Centre – Global” at the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2023, Sheraton Hai Phong successfully affirms its brand name and leading position in the city of Hai Phong. “We are very proud of the achievements of Sheraton Hai Phong and Harbor restaurant at World Luxury Awards 2023, one of the most prestigious awards of the global hospitality industry. About Sheraton Hai PhongAs the tallest skyscraper in Hai Phong, Viet Nam, Sheraton Hai Phong is regarded as a beacon of development and prosperity.

The delegation also worked with the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of Vietnamese press agencies in France, including the Vietnam News Agency, Nhan dan (People) Newspaper and Radio the Voice of Vietnam. The upgrade was funded by donations from Buddhist followers in Vietnam and Vietnamese Buddhist followers in Laos and Europe. He said returning Vietnam after more than 20 years, he is delighted at the country’s development and quality tourism service. Participating in the workshop, Chairman of the Vietnam Economics Association Nguyen Quang Thai and Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Farm and Agricultural Enterprise Association Nguyen Van Trong proposed more sanctions to handle the situation of wasting many agricultural by-products such as burning straw and discharging waste into the environment. The Department of Population under the Ministry of Health coordinated with the Vietnam Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology to organize a conference on the current situation of low fertility in Vietnam and solutions in Hanoi yesterday.

In reply, Khvtisiashvili said that Georgia wishes to beef up collaboration with Vietnam across fields, particularly economy-trade, agriculture, education-training, culture, and tourism. Having total investment of nearly 9.3 billion USD, the complex is currently one of the biggest FDI projects in Vietnam. The diplomat pledged that the Vietnamese Embassy is ready to support and accompany Italian companies in tapping business opportunities with Vietnam. The delegation also worked with the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of Vietnamese press agencies in France, including the Vietnam News Agency, Nhan dan (People) Newspaper and Radio the Voice of Vietnam. At the event, Vietnam Airlines and the UN Office in Vietnam signed a commitment to participate in the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs).

He told Việt Nam News he had visited Singapore several times and this time decided to go just to watch the show. In a report, USA’s futuremarketinsights.com predicted that the global music tourism market would rise from US$5.5 billion last year to $11.3 billion by 2032. Besides, many provinces and cities successfully organise small music shows, and music tourism has been wholeheartedly embraced by locals, especially during weekends. According to experts, music tourism has been around in many western countries but has only recently come to Việt Nam. In Việt Nam, it saw the installation of its app increase by 80 per cent.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN (Photo: VNA)New York (VNA) – Vietnam stands ready to accompany the UN on assisting Cuba to carry out the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, has said. At a recent working session with UN Resident Coordinator in Cuba Francisco Pichon, Giang highlighted the special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba, and informed the UN official of Vietnam’s active support for Cuba through various mechanisms, including the South – South Cooperation and trilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of agriculture and food. Pichon, who once served as the representative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development to Vietnam, said that Cuba is facing formidable challenge in post-pandemic recovery and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The UN is implementing a cooperation framework for sustainable development during 2020-2024 to support Cuba, with a focus on economic issues, natural disaster mitigation, agriculture, and food security, he said, expressing his hope that Vietnam will join the UN’s efforts through sharing development experience and good practices. Ambassador Giang said that Vietnam is willing to be a partner of the UN, helping Cuba overcome the existing challenges and achieve important progresses in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda./.