Vietnam News Today (May 9): Vietnamese Peacekeepers Inaugurate Smart Camp In Abyei

Brazilian Secretary for Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eduardo Paes Saboia speaks at a recent event held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil. (Photo: Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil)

Brazil ready to upgrade partnership with Vietnam, says diplomat

Brazil remains poised to elevate diplomatic relations with Vietnam to unprecedented heights, unlocking their full potential for cooperation and enhancing their coordination in addressing common global challenges, declared Eduardo Paes Saboia, Secretary for Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In a recent interview with Vietnam News Agency commemorating 35 years of bilateral diplomacy and 17 years of their comprehensive partnership this year, the diplomat also highlighted Brazil’s recognition of Vietnam as a pivotal partner in Southeast Asia and in South-South partnerships.

Both nations possess immense potential for strengthened cooperation and aspire to foster collaborations in key areas such as defense, science-technology, innovation, agriculture, environmental sustainability, technical cooperation, and energy transition.

According to Saboia, economic and trade relations have witnessed steady growth in recent years. During talks held in Brasilia last September, President Lula da Silva and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining this growth momentum, aiming to elevate bilateral trade turnover from US$6.7 billion last year to US$10 billion in 2025 and US$15 billion by 2030.

The two sides inked four cooperation agreements during the visit, covering education, national defense, agriculture, and diplomatic training, laying a solid foundation for further enhancing the bilateral cooperative partnership, as reported by VOV.

Most recently, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira paid a visit to Hanoi from April 9-11 to promote cooperation between the two countries. Both sides formulated measures to further strengthen bilateral political dialogue, as well as economic, trade, and cultural cooperation, among other areas.

He revealed that a delegation from the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation will visit Vietnam in May 2024 to prepare for the inaugural meeting of the Brazil-Vietnam Science, Technology and Innovation Committee, as part of efforts to accelerate cooperation in research, development and innovation between the two countries.

In his view, both Brazil and Vietnam are committed to supporting multilateralism, the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes, with the United Nations as the focal point for global governance, stability, and prosperity. The climate crisis is widely recognized as one of the most pressing challenges facing the world today, and the two countries stand united and determined to address it.

He noted that during its G20 Presidency Year 2024, Brazil prioritizes intensifying global governance reform, combating inequality, and promoting energy transition in the context of the world facing a climate crisis. Queen. Brazil highly appreciates Vietnam’s contribution to these discussions as a special guest not only of the G20 Summit but also of the Working Groups on Agriculture, and Research and Innovation.

The diplomat expressed gratitude to Vietnam for supporting the dialogue partnership between Brazil and ASEAN, aiding Brazil in expanding relations with all ASEAN member states, and simultaneously exploring new areas of cooperation such as energy transition, science-technology, innovation, industry and agriculture.

Moving forward, he said, Brazil and Vietnam will continue to foster high-level commitments and intensify dialogue on regional and global issues, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the wider world.

Vietnam’s inbound tourism booms, surpassing pre-pandemic levels

Vietnam’s inbound tourism is experiencing a remarkable resurgence, exceeding pre-pandemic levels as of late April, signaling a promising season for the sector.

Statistics from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) revealed that in April alone, the country welcomed nearly 1.6 million foreign arrivals, a 58.2% increase compared to the same period last year. This momentum propelled the total number of international arrivals in the first four months of this year to 6.2 million, representing a 68.3% annual growth. This figure surpassed that recorded during the pre-pandemic “golden era” of tourism.

The positive trend extended beyond visitor numbers. Revenue generated by accommodation and dining services was estimated at 237.3 trillion VND (9.88 billion USD), up 15.3% while tourism revenue grew by 49.3% year-on-year to 19.4 trillion VND.

Visitor numbers from Asia climbed by 77.2% while European arrivals surged by 63.8%. Notably, the Republic of Korea remained Vietnam’s largest tourist market, contributing 1.6 million visitors, or 25.8% of the total. Other major markets like the US, Taiwan (China), and Japan also showed significant growth.

Foreign tourists in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Arrivals from major markets like the UK soared by 35.2%, France 41.7%, Germany 36.9%, Italy 77.4%, Spain 48.5%, and Russia 74%, according to VNA.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City remained major tourist hubs, each welcoming around 1.4 million foreigners during the first four months. This represented a 40% and 32.4% annual increase, respectively.

VNAT Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh attributed the success partly to the new visa policy effective in August 2023 which has been met with international acclaim and is considered a key factor in the growth of international arrivals.

The early-year surge has propelled the industry towards its goal of welcoming 17-18 million foreign visitors for the entire year, serving as a “lifebuoy” for the aviation industry which has been grappling with a decline in the domestic market.

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) reported a surge of over 45% in foreign passengers passing through its airports. International cargo volume also saw a rise of nearly 7.6%, reaching some 14,000 tonnes.

Building on this momentum, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sun Group Dang Minh Truong proposed expanding unilateral visa exemption for citizens from developed countries like Australia, Canada, and the US, alongside selected European Union nations and some Middle Eastern countries.

He also suggested piloting short-term visa exemption ranging from 6 months to 1 year for tourists from promising markets like China, India, and Taiwan (China). These proposals aim to stimulate further tourism demand and solidify Vietnam’s position as a premier tourist destination.

Vietnamese peacekeepers inaugurate smart camp in Abyei

A smart camp built by Vietnamese engineers who are undertaking a UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei between Sudan and South Sudan was inaugurated at Highway base on May 7.

Present at the ceremony were officials of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and Commanders of units stationed in Abyei. UNISFA officials inspected, evaluated, and approved the Smart Camp project at the Highway base of the Vietnamese engineering contingent.

Addressing the