Mr. Kato’s commitment was made at a reception given by State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on February 8.

Mr. Kato affirmed Vietnam has played a vital role in the region and the country has drawn more IMF attention. He added that Vietnam should consider setting a suitable growth rate to ensure sustainable development.

In response, the Vice President spoke highly of IMF’s efforts in coping with the recent global economic crisis.

Mrs.Doan also expressed her thanks for the fund’s assistance to Vietnam with consultation in financial and currency policies, and for helping the country minimize the negative impact of the global economic depression.

“Vietnam is now making efforts to stabilise and clean up the macro-economy, ensure social security, improve the economy’s competitiveness, make good use of resources and promote international cooperation in order to gain more experiences in sustainable development,” Mrs. Doan said.