The Danish Government has pledged to grant around US$6.5 million to help Vietnam carry out the third phase of its legal and judicial reform project.

The four-year third phase of the project, starting in January 2006, aims to improve legal access for local people by building up the rule of law, scaling up the efficiency of State management, accelerate the democratisation process and ensuring the legal rights and interests of the people.

In addition, by accelerating the participation of local people in the law making process, the third phase of the project will help improve the capacity, quality and efficiency of the National Assembly Office, the People's Supreme Court, the People's Supreme Procuracy and the Bar Association under the Justice Ministry.

The third phase of the project will be conducted at an estimated cost of US$7.3 million, which also includes a donation of around US$800,000 from the Swedish Government and nearly US$316,000 mobilised from the State budget.

Earlier, the Danish Government helped Vietnam conduct the first two phases of the same project.

VOVNews/VNA