Bui The Giang, Deputy Representative of the Vietnamese Mission to the UN, made the statement at the 48^th session of the Commission on Social Development under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on February 3.

Giang said the government will support training, the transfer of technology and infrastructure construction in agriculture and rural development. It will speed up poverty reduction projects, improve the social welfare system, particularly in health care and education, and encourage the empowerment of women, first and foremost in the labour market.

He went on to say that the government will adopt measures to minimise the impact of natural disasters and build a ‘green’ economy.   

Mr Giang highlighted Vietnam’s successful results in cushioning the impact of the global economic meltdown in 2009, saying the country kept inflation at a single figure and the poverty rate at 12.3 percent while creating jobs for more than 1.6 million people.

He said the government re-trained employees of all economic sectors and provided free medical insurance and housing programmes for vulnerable groups in society, such as the poor, the elderly, people with disabilities and people in remote areas. 

He called on East Asian countries and dialogue partners to support Vietnam’s initiative to establish an East Asian fund on climate change put forward by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the recent World Economic Forum in Switzerland.