Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (r) meets with the WB’s Vice President for East Asia and Pacific Victoria Kwakwa on the sidelines of the sixth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in central Đà Nẵng yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

ĐÀ NẴNG — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc asked the World Bank (WB) to continue its financial and technical support for Việt Nam during his meeting with the WB’s Vice President for East Asia and Pacific Victoria Kwakwa on the sidelines of the sixth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in central Đà Nẵng yesterday.
The Government leader asked for the bank’s support to help Việt Nam with the International Development Association (IDA) graduation, thus maintaining the country’s achievements in development and poverty reduction. 
Phúc said the WB’s adjustment of its forecast of Việt Nam’s economic growth from 6.5 per cent at the end of 2017 to 6.8 per cent in 2018 would help improve investors’ confidence in the country. 
The same day, PM Phúc hosted a reception for President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao. 
The PM appreciated the priority given to Việt Nam by the ADB and Nakao himself, affirming that the bank was an important partner of  Việt Nam and one of the leading providers of capital, technical support and consultation for the country. 
The leader stressed that the Vietnamese Government consistently pursued the goals of stabilising macro economy, curbing inflation, limiting public debt below 65 per cent, developing institutions, infrastructure and human resources, combating climate change and ensuring social welfare. 
In reply, Nakao lauded Việt Nam’s socio-economic achievements, saying the ADB would be happy to provide loans to the country. 
Praising the Vietnamese Government’s ratification of the above-mentioned projects, the President said the ADB wished to work with Việt Nam to speed up their implementation. 

Meeting Director of the United Nations Industry Development Organisation (UNIDO) Li Yong, PM Phúc proposed the UNIDO launch projects to help the country develop the support industry for automobile and garment sectors and push industry in a low carbon and sustainable direction. 
The PM suggested UNIDO assist Việt Nam in improving capacity in receiving and transferring technology, increasing power efficiency and developing human resources to serve production development. 
Reviewing co-operation between the two sides, including the project to develop an eco-industrial park and transfer technology in central Đà Nẵng city, Li Yong pledged that UNIDO would continue working with Vietnamese agencies in researching and applying new technology for sustainable development in Việt Nam. 
Sustainable development

PM Phúc lauded the UN Development Programme (UNDP)’s assistance for Việt Nam over the past four decades when he met with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner on the sidelines of the GEF the same day.
They discussed the UN’s efforts to improve the transparency, representation and democracy of UN organisations to better support countries in realising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 
The PM affirmed Việt Nam’s support for making use of the outcomes and experiences in implementing the ‘Delivering as One’ (DaO) initiative to reform the UN system. 
"Việt Nam is proud to be one of the countries taking the lead in the DaO initiative and the first nation to have the Green One UN House, a symbol of the Việt Nam-UN co-operation as well as the resolve to enhance the UN’s connectivity and efficiency," he said. 
Việt Nam’s innovation spirit had inspired other countries, Steiner noted, adding that the UNDP would stand with the country to continue supporting its development.

PM Phúc thanked the UNDP for its support for the country in the post-war and rebuilding period and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and now the Sustainable Development Goals.  — VNS