Foreign journalist highlights Vietnam's efforts to improve people’s life

German journalist Hellmut Kapfenberger has expressed his impression at Vietnam’s development achievements and its efforts to improve people’s living conditions in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Berlin.

He said that Vietnam has achieved many great achievements in the socialist-oriented renewal led by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), with infrastructure continuously built and expanded, all aspects of the social life improving, human rights guaranteed, the lives of the people bettering compared to previous periods.  

The journalist, who has written many books on Vietnam, stated that the country has been achieved good results in the modernisation process, enjoyed high economic growth and become a very dynamic economy, well integrated with the world. From a country seriously affected by famine, Vietnam has now risen to become one of the world's leading rice and coffee exporters. Many other agricultural products of the Southeast Asian nation are also widely known in the world.

The Vietnamese Government's efforts to ensure human rights have been clearly demonstrated during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, adding that Vietnam has both flexibly responded to the pandemic while continuing to boost socio-economic development.

The Vietnamese Party and State have always paid attention to gender equality and ensuring human rights during the pandemic, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, children and people with disabilities, which has created a great consensus in society, Kapfenberger affirmed. He also spoke highly of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Regarding Vietnam’s engagement in the UN’s peacekeeping operations in South Sudan, the journalist said that among 15 countries registered to carry out this mission, Vietnam was selected by the UN. This proves that Vietnam is a responsible member and respected by the international community.

Kapfenberger used to be a correspondent for the East German news agency ADN and New Germany newspaper in Vietnam during 1970-73 and 1980-84./.