The National Day of Vietnam was also observed at a ceremony held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, on the same day. Vietnam’s National Day celebrated in Cambodia, BrazilVietnamese embassies have recently organised ceremonies to mark Vietnam’s 77th National Day (September 2, 1945 – 2022) in Cambodia and Brazil. Int’l organisations, experts call Vietnam a development success storyInternational organisations and foreign experts have hailed Vietnam as a success story about economic development, social welfare and human rights guarantee. Valeria Vershinina, an expert on Vietnam at the ASEAN Centre under the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, affirmed that Vietnam is seen as a “middle-level power” by international scholars. Meanwhile, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Perry Steil regarded Vietnam as a bright example for countries worldwide to learn from experience in pandemic response while maintaining socio-economic development.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang (right(, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, at the UNGA's session. (Photo: VNA)- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 2 adopted a resolution on the organisation of a “ High-level meeting on pandemic prevention , preparedness and response”.The resolution was jointly introduced to the UNGA by Vietnam, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Costa Rica, Ghana, Jamaica, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Africa, Sweden and Indonesia.It received high consensus from all countries, with 129 participating as co-sponsors.The resolution proposes that the UNGA President to coordinate with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to hold a high-level session with the participation of Heads of State or Heads of Government at the UNGA’s 77th regular session (September 2022) or the high-level week of its 78th tenure in 2023.From the lessons learnt during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, countries agreed to strengthen international solidarity and take global, inclusive and sustainable solutions to be ready to combat diseases. The high-level session of the UNGA will help mobilise the international community’s political will and support processes to strengthen preparedness to prevent and respond to diseases being discussed within the framework of the WHO’s sessions in Geneva, Switzerland.This is the second resolution approved by the UNGA that Vietnam has jointly initiated, after the first on the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness (December 27) passed in 2020. This demonstrates the country's increasingly active and inclusive participation at UN forums on global issues, which has received high attention from the international community. In the coming time, Vietnam will actively participate in the preparations for this high-level meeting./.

Tasting Vietnamese rice at E.Leclerc Viry Châtillon (Photo: VNA)– A Vietnamese rice product has for the first time been put on the shelves of E.Leclerc Viry Châtillon, a hypermarket run by top French retailer E.Leclerc, as part of a programme run by the Vietnam Trade Office in France.The product branded ‘Com Vietnam’ is produced by Loc Troi Group, a leading provider of agricultural services and products in Vietnam. It was introduced in the E.Leclerc hypermarket chain on September 2 during the office’s Vietnamese mid-autumn week event.Rice is a key commodity in a scheme on facilitating Vietnamese enterprises’ participation in foreign distribution networks. It took nearly two years for Vietnamese rice products to be officially available on shelves in France. Loc Troi CEO Nguyen Duy Thuan said two years ago, Loc Troi became the first company to export Vietnamese rice to Europe within the framework of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).Director of E.Leclerc Viry Châtillon Thierry Jodet said Loc Troi’s rice product was selected as it has met all requirements in terms of quality, taste, and price.Under the mid-autumn week event, ‘ Com Vietnam ’ will be introduced at a hypermarket run by French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation Carrefour on September 6.Carrefour and E.Leclerc together operate nearly 800 hypermarkets and over 3,000 supermarkets across France./.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)VNA- Businesses, especially start-ups , are focusing more on green agriculture , and the model has produced positive results and feedback from the community.World Bank (WB) Director for Vietnam Carolyn Turk said that Vietnam has a relatively high carbon footprint in agricultural production which has affected the achievements Vietnam has made over the past 30 years.In addition, some regions in Vietnam such as the Mekong Delta will face a reduction in rice yield in the next 30 years due to climate change such as rising sea levels, saline intrusion, unseasonal rains and droughts.Vietnam has shown significant commitments to promoting a sustainable growth path and making more efforts to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.However, according to the WB's assessment, everything that has been done has only reached an experimental level, and it has not yet fully integrated across all sectors.Vietnam needs to maintain its commitments to become an agricultural powerhouse, and find new and more effective sources of growth in the future. Meanwhile, the agriculture sector needs to be knowledge-based, and focus more on exploiting surplus values, reducing resource intensity and its carbon footprint, and must be more responsive to the needs of the global population for environmentally friendly products.Pham Xuan Thang, Secretary of the Party Committee of northern Hai Duong province, said that the locality attaches great importance to endemic agricultural products, especially the National Target Programme on New-Style Rural Area Building.Hai Duong has also implemented measures to enhance the production value of agricultural products in the direction of organising a multi-layered and multi-valued production.Nguyen Ngoc Luan, Director of Lam San Agricultural Cooperative in the southern province of Dong Nai, said that the State has supported and made efforts to boost the development of green, sustainable and environmentally-friendly agriculture.However, some policies have yet to bring about practical values in helping producers reduce costs and improve competitiveness.To boost green agricultural development, he proposed the Government, ministries and sectors take more concerted and specific measures, and consider eco-agriculture a prerequisite to switch from the current chemical-intensive agriculture model./.

Vietnam – RoK Festival 2022 opens in Da NangThe Vietnam – Republic of Korea (RoK) Festival 2022 opened in the central city of Da Nang on September 1, attracting thousands of visitors. On August 16, musician Ho Hoai Anh was present at the Vietnam National Academy of Music to provide accountability for his trip from June 17-August 6 that was not informed to the workplace. Musician Ho Hoai Anh is currently a lecturer who has taught Dan Bau (one-string zither), one of the traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, at the Vietnam National Academy of Music . Most notably, the Vietnamese national team won the tournament in 2008 and 2018. In the 2020 version, Vietnam lost 2-0 to Thailand in the semi-final round, one of the most unforgettable failures of the Vietnamese national team over recent years.

Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Hong Nam speaks at the event. Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Hong Nam reviewed Vietnam's achievements over the past 77 years. Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung (second from the right) and Lao officials cut a cake to celebrate the 77th anniversary of National Day of Vietnam and the 60th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos diplomatic relations. He also expressed his gratitude to the Lao Party, State and people for their always solidarity with and support to Vietnam. The National Day of Vietnam was also observed at a ceremony held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, on the same day./.

(Photo: VNA)Bangkok (VNA) – Representatives of the Consulate General of Vietnam in Khon Kaen and the Vietnamese Association of Udon Thani province of Thailand on September 2 offered incense in memory of late President Ho Chi Minh at a memorial site named after him in Udon Thani. Its Noong On village in Muong town, where Ho Chi Minh carried out revolutionary activities in 1928 - 1929, is currently a relic site treasured by the Vietnamese in Thailand. On the same day, the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar held a ceremony to celebrate the 77th anniversary of National Day. In his remarks at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Myanmar Ly Quoc Tuan briefed participants on the achievements that the Vietnamese Party and people obtained over the past 77 years. On September 1, a delegation from the Lao Embassy in Myanmar, led by its Ambassador Heuangseng Khamdalavong, came to congratulate the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar on the occasion of the Vietnamese National Day./.

The event was attended by representatives of the UN mission and more than 100 other guests. (Photo: VNA)Vietnam’s Engineering Unit Rotation 1 at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei ( UNISFA ) celebrated 77th National Day (September 2) with a get-together.The event was attended by representatives of the UN mission and more than 100 other guests, said the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of National Defence.This is the first important political event organised by the unit since they were deployed to the mission three months ago.In his remarks, Brigadier General Atogebakga Alobawone, acting head of the UN mission, expressed his admiration for the indomitable and resilient spirit of the Vietnamese people, and highlighted the important role of the Vietnamese unit towards the mission and local residents.The unit’s activities have demonstrated Vietnam’s significant contributions to UN peacekeeping operations, he noted.Guests to the event were treated to Vietnam ese dishes and art performances featuring the culture, land and people of Vietnam.The Engineering Unit Rotation 1 and Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4 departed for the UN peacekeeping missions in Abyei and South Sudan on April 27, 2022.This is the first time Vietnam has sent military engineers to join UN peacekeeping operations. It is the unit-level formation with the largest number of members ever participating in UN peacekeeping missions.The staff members of the Engineering Unit Rotation 1 , which debuted on November 17, 2011, help provide humanitarian assistance and support the UN delegations in keeping and re-establishing peace in the area.They also ensure transport, perform road maintenance, help reconstruct the UN base, and provide support for the local community by building community houses, schools, and other public facilities.From June 2014 to August 2022, Vietnam has deployed 512 officers and soldiers to UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Abyei Area, along with the UN headquarters./.

At the ceremony in Canada (Photo: VNA)The Vietnamese Consulate General in Vancouver city of Canada’s British Columbia province hosted a ceremony on September 2 to mark the 77th National Day of Vietnam.In his remarks, Consul General Nguyen Quang Trung highlighted achievements the Vietnamese Government and people have recorded over the past 77 years, and the relations between Vietnam and Canada.Two-way trade exceeded 10 billion CAD (over 7.6 billion USD) last year despite adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, of which the trade value between Vietnam and British Columbia was 2.5 billion USD.The trade revenue between Vietnam and Canada reached 6.1 billion CAD in the first half of this year, up nearly 25% year-on-year.More than 20,000 Vietnamese students are studying at educational institutions across Canada.On this occasion, Premier of British Columbia John Horgan sent a congratulatory letter to the Vietnamese Consulate General , under which he affirmed that British Columbia wants to promote the friendship with Vietnam.In his remarks, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation of British Columbia Bruce Ralston emphasised the comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Canada and British Columbia in particular, especially in economy, trade and education-training.Vietnam is an important partner of Canada in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in Asia-Pacific, and is one of the most fastest-growing strategic trade partners of British Columbia and Canada as well in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he affirmed.

– US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, on behalf of the US government, on Sept. 1 (Hanoi time) sent greetings to the Vietnamese government and people on the occasion of Vietnam’s 77th National Day (Sept. 2).A release from the US State Department said the Secretary highlighted the achievements the US and Vietnam have jointly recorded over the past in accelerating the common priorities on regional security, prosperity, climate change fight, global health challenge settlement and intensifying relations and exchanges between the two peoples.The Secretary affirmed the bilateral friendship on the basis of the US support to a strong, prosperous and independent Vietnam, as well as long-term commitments by the two sides in settling war consequences and humanitarian issues. He expressed his hope for continued cooperation with the Vietnamese government and people to bring about prosperity, peace and stability for both countries and the Indo-Pacific region.Earlier, within the framework of the US-Vietnam Dialogue in Asia-Pacific held in Washington D.C. on August 30, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu exchanged ideas on issues related to the two countries’ common concern in pushing up peace, stability and prosperity in the region.According to the office of the State Department’s Spokesperson, the two sides affirmed the importance of the continuation of high-level exchanges between the two countries, as well as the marking of the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership which will come next year./.

At the event (Photo: VNA)– A National Day festival took place in Ho Chi Minh City on September 2, featuring the release of two hot air balloons carrying a giant national flag Vo Trong Nam, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports, said it was the first time a 1,800m2 national flag was lifted by balloons for the National Day celebration in the city.According to him, in addition to the two, there were eight others of smaller sizes released at the same time.This year’s celebration also treated attendees to performances of six paragliders and many water sports activities on the Saigon River.On the National Day holiday lasting from September 1-4, the city’s entertainment destinations are seeing a surge in the number of vistors./.

Politics Russian expert praises Vietnam’s contributions at international arena Vietnam has recorded remarkable achievements in many fields in the contemporary world in the recent period, said head of the Eurasian Ideas Foundation (EIF) Grigory Trofimchuk of his recent visit to the Hanoi-Moscow multifunctional complex (Incentra) in the Russian capital city. Politics National Day celebrations in Malaysia, Czech Republic, Venezuela The Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia held a banquet on September 1 to mark the 77th anniversary of National Day (September 2). Politics Vietnamese police ready to join UN peacekeeping forces A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Duy Ngoc is attending the third United Nations Chief of Police Summit (UNCOPs) in New York from August 30 – September 3. Politics Vietnam wishes to collaborate with UN in digital transformation: ambassador Vietnam wishes to collaborate with the UN on digital transformation in both policy formulation and implementation, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the international organisation has stated.

(Photo: VNA)The Government has issued Decree No 58/2022/ND-CP on the registration and management of foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Vietnam. US congratulates Vietnam on National DaySecretary of State Antony Blinken, on behalf of the US Government, has cabled a message of congratulations to Vietnam on the 77th anniversary of its National Day (September 2). Expressing his delight at the enormous achievements Vietnam has obtained over the last 77 years, Lao Ambassador to Thailand Khamphan Anlavan emphasised the traditional relations, comprehensive cooperation, special solidarity, and great friendship between Vietnam and Laos. Both the UNFPA and MRI Representatives committed to working closely together in joining hands with the Government of Vietnam and the international community to effectively address population aging and other emerging population issues in Vietnam. Vietnam has officially entered the "aging phase" since 2011, and is projected to become an “aged” society by 2036.

Some five-star OCOP products exhibited at the event in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)– Outstanding products of the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme from northern mountainous provinces are being showcased at an event opened in Son Tay town of Hanoi on August 31.In his opening remarks, Nguyen Van Chi, Deputy Chief of the coordinating office for the new-style rural area building programme of Hanoi, said this is an important event under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ’s direction to help organisations and individuals advertise OPCP products and specialties of regions across Vietnam.The OCOP programme looks to have at least 10,000 products nationwide by 2025. It is a focus of economic development efforts in rural areas and also a crucial task in the implementation of the national target programme on new-style countryside building for 2021 - 2025.Hanoi is currently home to 1,649 OCOP products, including four rated five stars, 1,098 rated four stars, and 534 rated three stars. They include 1,071 food products, 35 beverage products, 17 herbal products, 492 handicraft products, and 34 fabric and apparel ones.These items have quickly gained a foothold in the market, helping local residents expand production, increase product value, and improve their material and spiritual life, Chi noted./.

He noted Vietnam needs support from and win-win cooperation with the international community to help achieve fast and sustainable development. Vietnam attends Defence and Security 2022 exhibition in ThailandA delegation of the Ministry of National Defence led by Lt. Gen. Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, attended the Defence and Security 2022 exhibition in Thailand from August 29 to 31. Tan noted the Defence Ministry of Vietnam will hold an international defence exhibition for the first time this December. According to Trần Việt Hoa, the director of the Việt Nam National Archives Centre III, the documents are valuable sources of information about his life, career and research on the diplomatic history of Việt Nam. U20 Viet Nam to play friendly with U20 PalestineU20 Việt Nam will have a friendly match with U20 Palestine at Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ Province on September 3, the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) has announced.