A 100 million euro credit agreement was signed in Hanoi on March 29 by the Ministry of Finance and the French Development Agency (AFD) as part of the public investment reform programme, co-sponsored by the World Bank (WB).

The private business sector accounts for up to 60 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, private economic groups still need further recognition from the state and society to achieve stronger growth.

A trade fair and an investment promotion forum are being held in Zhongshan from March 28-30 to boost economic ties between Vietnamese businesses and Zhongshan city, Guangdong province of China.

A festival to celebrate aquaculture and seafood production in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces will take place in Can Tho next month.

The eighth Chinamac Fair will take place from July 28-31 at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre (SECC), showing off products, equipment and machines used in the electricity sector, healthcare services, footwear, heavy industry, garments and packing.

The Prime Minister has agreed to the organisation of the annual Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation (MDEC) Forum.

Ho Chi Minh City’s industrial production has shown signs of bouncing back, announced the city’s Department of Industry and Trade.

Cuban Minister of Basic Industry Yadira Garcia has spoken highly of the socio-economic achievements Vietnam has made over recent years, especially in oil, gas and petrochemical industries.

Trade officials from 10 ASEAN countries and representatives of hundreds of businesses and airlines met in the Thai capital of Bangkok on March 26 to boost commercial relations within the bloc.

On March 27 Danang city hosted a seminar to discuss the development of tourism in ASEAN. Among the participants were those from the ASEAN Secretariat and tourism industries.

Over 200 representatives of Japanese organizations and enterprises attended a workshop on Vietnam's business climate held in Tokyo on March 26.

A seminar was held in Bangkok, Thailand on March 26 to enhance cooperation in trade, investment and tourism towards the establishment of an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

The Prime Minister has given the nod to Vietnam’s hosting of the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2011.

There are still limitations on Hanoi’s human resource training such as an insufficient pool of candidates, a lack of competitiveness and weaknesses in sharing and integration of knowledge and skills.

Vietbuild 2010 international exhibition under the theme of “construction-building materials-real estate and interior decoration” will be held in Hanoi from April 1-5.

The country earned US$3.49 billion from the export of agro-forestry products and seafood in the first three months of the year—a four percent year-on-year decrease--according to the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development.

Coffee prices in the Central Highland region on March 26 rose by VND600-800 per kilogram compared to one week ago.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will launch a project to help Vietnam improve its capacity to ensure the quality of construction.

In the first quarter of 2010, Vietnam’s GDP stands 5.83 percent higher than in the first quarter last year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, which announced Vietnam’s quarterly trade, service, and investment figures on March 26.

Vietnam’s largest and most modern oil tanker The Van Phong 1 vessel arrived at the Van Phong bonded oil warehouse in the southcentral coastal province of Khanh Hoa on March 26.

ASEAN Finance Ministers will meet in the central coastal city of Nha Trang from April 5-8 to review regional and global economies, discuss macro-economic policies of regional governments and increase financial cooperation within ASEAN.

The business environment in Vietnam has been becoming more friendly, affirmed Chairman and CEO of the Japan External Trade Promotion Organisation (JETRO) Yasuo Hayashi.

The monthly minimum salary for State employees in Vietnam will increase from the present VND650,000 to VND730,000 (US$38.4 ) from May 1.

The UK’s target is to boost its investment in Vietnam to US$3 billion in the next few years, said Scott Wightman, Director for the Asia-Pacific of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in his recent first visit to Vietnam.

Farmers across the country are faced with increasing pressures as the prices of several categories of farm produce, such as rice, coffee, cashew nuts, salt and water melons, continue dropping sharply.

Starting on March 28, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will increase flights on its Can Tho-Hanoi route from 12 to 14 per week, said Luu Minh Chung, head of the airlines’ Can Tho branch.

Vietnam exported 110 tonnes of dragon fruits to the US from January 15 to March 15, equal to the total export volume last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) organized a seminar with Vietnamese businesses in Da Nang City on March 26, focusing on building and developing the country’s trademarks in the international arena.

Representatives from the US Mazzetta company and the Vietnam-France Animal Feed Production Joint Stock Company (Proconco) have worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade in an effort to boost the export of tra and basa fish to the US.

A congress to set up the Vietnam Dairy Association (VDA) took place in Ho Chi Minh City on March 25.