Tehran offers assistance to Hanoi

Visiting Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told his Hanoi counterpart Nguyen The Thao at a meeting on November 29.

He said the recent visit to Vietnam by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has added fresh impetus to cooperation between the two countries, and the Tehran delegation’s current visit has testified to such cooperation.

Nguyen The Thao briefed his guest on the achievements that the 1,000-year-old city of Hanoi has made during the Renewal process, saying it has grossed an annual GDP growth rate of more than 10 percent over the years.

Despite the impact of the global economic recession, Hanoi has secured economic growth of 8.1 percent this year, he said.

Thao noted that Hanoi has poured intensive investment into infrastructure construction to build a modern capital, aiming at attracting foreign businesses.

However, he pointed out that the city faces numerous challenges, including drawbacks of urbanisation and overpopulation, resulting in overloads in transportation, schools and hospitals.

Hanoi wants to cooperate in urban planning and development with big cities in the world, including Tehran.

After the meeting, the two mayors signed a memorandum of understanding on the friendship and cooperation between Hanoi and Tehran.