Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the statement at a reception for UK Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan, in Hanoi on May 25.

PM Dung thanked the UK government and people for their official development assistance to Vietnam, saying it has contributed to Vietnam’s important development achievements – especially in hunger eradication and poverty reduction – and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

He expressed his hope that the UK would provide Vietnam with continued assistance in infrastructure, human resource training and dealing with climate change and rising sea levels.

PM Dung affirmed that the Vietnamese government will create favourable conditions to promote the growing bilateral investment as well as cooperation in education and training, HIV/AIDS prevention, finance, banking, and the opening of a direct air route.

Alan Duncan spoke highly of the efficiency of UK-funded projects in Vietnam, adding that the UK-Vietnam strategic partnership agreement for the 2011-2014 period, to be signed on May 26, would contribute to a strong promotion of the two countries’ cooperative ties.

He said he hoped the two countries would also work closely in finance, banking and aviation, as well as fighting and preventing HIV/AIDS and corruption.