Viet Nam, Cambodia lift economic, trade ties

HA NOI — Viet Nam will boost co-operation with Cambodia, especially in human resources training in planning work in order to catch up with the global market economy, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Speaking at a meeting with Cambodian Minister of Planning Chhay Than in Ha Noi yesterday, Dung stressed the necessity to boost co-operation between the two countries’ planning ministries in service of their economic development and trade.

On the agreements reached by Minister Chhay Than and Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc, Dung said the two ministries should increase the exchange of delegations.

Chhay Than expressed his thanks to the Vietnamese Government and people for their support for his country in the past, especially during the post-war reconstruction.

MoU signed

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on co-operation in planning and investment was signed yesterday in Ha Noi between the Cambodian Ministry of Planning and the Viet Nam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Under this agreement, the two sides will closely co-ordinate in building and developing plans, thus providing an advisory service to both governments. They agreed that regular meetings between high-ranking delegations would be vital to consolidating the relationship.

According to the MoU, the two countries will also share their experience in planning work by organising training courses. Workers in the Cambodian planning sector will be offered short-term courses thanks to non-refundable aid from Viet Nam.

The education and training sector will get priority in the countries’ co-operation, said Viet Nam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment. Last year, the Vietnamese Government provided VND90 billion (US$5.2 million) in non-refundable aid for Cambodia, including VND73 billion ($4.2million) for personnel training.

The 2008 two-way trade turnover reached $1.7 billion, an increase of 42 per cent against 2007. Cambodia provided favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses. Thirty-nine Vietnamese-run projects with a total capital of $211.2 million have been granted licences by the Cambodian Government. — VNS