Screenshot of the portal

The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOV) launched its portal at https://scov.gov.vn at an online ceremony held in Hanoi on October 23.
Chairing the event, Deputy Foreign Minister and SCOV Chairman Pham Quang Hieu affirmed that the OVs is an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation and an important resource to contribute to national development. He also hailed their active role and described them as an important bridge for Vietnam’s external relations with countries.

He said on August 12, 2021, the Politburo issued the Conclusion No.12-KL/TW on the OV affairs in the new situation. It outlined future tasks such as continuing to fine-tune laws and reform administrative procedures, creating favourable conditions for OVs to return home to do business, and renew the dissemination of external service information as well as the Party and State’s policies and guidelines.

In order to encourage OVs to join in law and policymaking in Vietnam, the SCOV also took the occasion to launch a comprehensive survey collecting their opinions on relevant laws and administrative procedures at https://scov.gov.vn/?page=Survey.info, which will be also uploaded to the Foreign Ministry’s portal and websites of the Vietnamese representative agencies abroad.

Hieu said the launch of the SCAV’s portal and survey aims to realise Resolution adopted by the 13th National Party Congress and the Politburo’s Conclusion No.12-KL/TW. Suggestions in the survey will be sent to authorities for consideration.

Speaking at the event, representatives of the Vietnamese communities abroad said they will partner with the SCOV and the Foreign Ministry to popularise the survey to contribute to its success./.

 

A Vietnamese diplomat has highlighted the role of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding and underscored the need to enhance the participation of women in all political, social and economic aspects during a meeting of the UN Security Council on Thursday (US time).

It is crucial to value women’s experience, knowledge, understanding and expertise in all fields, including peace and security, by removing barriers and facilitating transition to promote women as equal partners since the start of any peace and political process, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý told the UNSC’s open debate on “Investing in women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding.”

The event was attended by Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General; Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women); and Bineta Diop, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

Women’s rights, interests and needs must be guaranteed and promoted at provincial, national and international levels, and women should be given necessary skills and knowledge to meaningfully participate in all aspects of life, he said.

Quý emphasised that it is the responsibility of all member states to implement the WPS Agenda. All the states must take more specific and drastic actions to ensure women’s role incorporated in legal frameworks, policies, strategies and initiatives on peace and security at the national, regional and global levels, he stated.

The diplomat went on to call on the community of donors to contribute a minimum of 15 per cent of its official development assistance (ODA) to advancing gender equality in conflict-affected countries. 

One of Việt Nam’s priorities is to foster the participation of women in all aspects of life, he said, noting that with their knowledge, wisdom, tolerance and understanding, women play a vital part in promoting a culture of peace and educating young people to appreciate peace.

Quý also took the occasion to highlight the contributions made by Vietnamese female military officers to peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic and South Sudan./.

 

Organising online court hearings is a breakthrough solution to improve the transparency of court proceedings, National Assembly (NA) deputies agreed on Sunday.

During a session discussing a resolution on organising online court hearings, they said the virtual format would create a driving force to solve cases more quickly, save time and travel expenses.

Deputy Lã Thanh Tân from northern Hải Phòng City said online court hearings was a new form of proceedings conducted on digital platforms. It is necessary to invest in equipment and take cautious steps when applying it. Trial online sessions should be held first.

Hải Phòng City held a trial online court hearing on August 7 and showed positive results, he said, proposing the Supreme People’s Court consider piloting the online court model at Hải Phòng City People’s Court after the resolution is approved by the NA.

Deputy Nguyễn Thị Yến from Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province agreed that online court hearings were new and need to be piloted for three years. After that, the Supreme People’s Court needs to report to the NA for further improvements.

Deputy Lê Tất Hiếu from Vĩnh Phúc Province said complicated cases or cases in which offenders did not admit to their crimes or involved many accomplices need to be held in person.

Online trials should only be for first-instance and appeal trials of civil and administrative cases, he said.

He said current laws did not mention in detail online court hearings, so the organisation must be carefully prepared. Agencies need to be trained before holding the online sessions.

Responding to NA deputies’ comments, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Nguyễn Hòa Bình said the feedback delivered at the NA meeting required higher quality for online court sessions.

The Supreme People's Court will listen to all of the feedback and submit annual reports to the NA.

He said the world had prepared the legal infrastructure for online trials in many different ways including adopting a separate law on online proceedings. Việt Nam has issued an inter-sectoral circular between the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Supreme People's Court to make preparations for the launch of online court hearings.

The Supreme People's Court will continue to finalise the circular and the NA deputies can give feedback, he said.

He also further explained the online court definition. Accordingly, an online court involves three factors - information technology, humans using such technology and legal infrastructure for the use of IT at the courts.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the NA meeting on Sunday, Nguyễn Thị Thu Hà, deputy head of Quảng Ninh Province’s NA delegation, said online court hearings would create conditions for witnesses and lawyers who are far away to connect with the court.

It is also an inevitable trend of judicial activities, following the Party and State's guidelines. It aims to help Việt Nam realise international commitments to complete the building of online courts by 2025 when Việt Nam becomes a member of the Council of Chief Justices in the Asia-Pacific region and the ASEAN Council of Chief Justices, she said./.

 

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired a cabinet meeting on the drafting of a socio-economic recovery and development programme on Sunday.

Addressing the meeting, the Government leader underlined that the scheme's scale should be large enough and its implementation duration should be long enough in line with the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and the socio-economic development plan for the 2021-2025 period as well as the socio-economic development programme for 2022.

It should be based on accurate and objective assessments and forecasts along with reliable statistics, he stated.

The PM stressed that the programme must have focuses and priorities. For example, in healthcare, attention should be paid to measures to improve the country’s medical capacity from preventive medicine and grassroots healthcare system to vaccines and treatment. Meanwhile, in issues related to social welfare, the focus should be the recovery of the labour market and sustainable poverty reduction.

Regarding economic recovery, the programme should focus on boosting the recovery of businesses and cooperatives and strategic infrastructure development, strengthening the national governance capacity, completing the institutions, speeding up administrative reform, increasing decentralisation and distribution of power, and preventing and combating corruption, he said.

The Government leader underscored that the programme should include careful calculation of resources and flexible adjustments of monetary and fiscal policies, ensuring macro-economic stability and major balances as well as inflation control.

The drafting agency should continue to collect ideas from relevant agencies, he said, noting the need to ensure that the draft programme is effective and feasible in order to create consensus from the public./.

 The Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail is seen as a highlight in the Vietnamese nation’s course of history, a crystallisation of the national great unity block, a shining symbol of revolutionary heroism, and an eloquent testimony to the sound, creative leadership of the Party, particularly the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence, providing us with a lot of valuable lessons for the Homeland protection.

After the Geneva Accords had been signed (July 21st, 1954), our country was temporarily divided into two regions, namely the South and the North. While the North was liberated and gradually experienced a transitional period towards socialism, our people in the South had to carry on a resistance war against the U.S., for national salvation. The U.S. and its lackeys adopted new-style colonialism in the South; they herded the rural population into hamlets and slaughtered our patriots in order to strangle the patriotic movement of our Southern Military and people, negate the Geneva Accords, and dismember our country.

Against that backdrop, our Southern people rose up as one to fight for civil rights and democracy. Our armed units devoted effort to destroying the wicked and the evil and re-seize power. At the high peak of our revolution, the issuance of the Resolution of the 2nd Party Central Committee’s 15th Plenum acted as a new incentive to the Southern Military and people’s armed struggle. To make preparations for the South’s resistance war, the Party Central Committee (PCC) directed the establishment of a strategic transport line at sea along with the Truong Son Trail to opportunely provide weapons, equipment, ammunition, medicine, personnel, and means of war. That is a strategic, creative decision of the PCC, the General Military Commission (GMC), and the General Command, expressing the entire Party, Military, and people’s aspirations for national independence, freedom, and unification. 6 decades have elapsed, but the miracle of Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail is still highlighted in our country’s history.

1. Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail - strategic vision of the PCC and the GMC

When our Southern people’s resistance war against the U.S., for national salvation was in the fierce phase together with the rapid development of our armed forces, the issue on supplying weapons and equipment for the main force and the guerrilla force became more urgent. In spite of the PCC’s close direction, the land transport line, aka the Truong Son Trail, was limited and unable to reach battlefields in the country’s southernmost region. Therefore, under the PCC’s direction, on October 23rd, 1961, the General Command decided to establish the Sea Transport Group 759 - the forerunner of the present-day Naval Brigade 125 to opportunely provide personnel and means of war for the South. That decision proved the strategic vision of the PCC and the GMC as it immediately met the contextual developments. Right after its foundation, under the close leadership and direction of the PCC and the GMC, cadres and soldiers of the Sea Transport Group 759 proactively overcame difficulties, step by step built manpower, prepared vessels, established command systems, and made other preparations for opening the sea transport line - the North-South strategic military transport line.

2. Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail - an everlasting miracleAfter carefully studying, analysing, and evaluating cruises of exploration between the South and the North as well as closely directing the development of vessels and projects, the Central Military Commission (CMC)¹, particularly the then First Secretary of the PCC Le Duan assigned comrade Bong Van Dia to be in charge of the first ship transporting weapons to the South. That has proved the PCC’s determination to open the sea transport line as comrade Bong Van Dia, who had directly carried out surveys of coastal areas and islands of Bac Lieu province, was experienced in travelling on the sea and dealing with the enemy during his cruises to transport weapons and convey the PCC’s instructions from the North to the South. On the evening of October 12th, 1962, the “Phuong Dong 1” Ship with 10 crew members, commanded by Captain Le Van Mot and Commissar Bong Van Dia, carrying more than 30 tons of weapons left Do Son harbour (Hai Phong city) for the South. On the morning of October 19th, 1962, the Ship arrived at Chum Gong (Vam Lung, Tan An) safely. That Ship became a “legend” as it was the first to exploit the sea transport line - the strategic military transport line - the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail. After the success of the cruise by the “Phuong Dong 1” Ship, three other vessels docked at Ca Mau harbour safely together with the harbours of Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, and Ba Ria. Highly appreciating that feat of arms, in his telegram, President Ho Chi Minh opportunely encouraged cadres and soldiers of the Sea Transport Group 759 to quickly draw lessons and keep transporting more weapons for the Southern people to defeat the enemy, for North-South reunification. The success and safety of the first vessels transporting weapons and equipment from the North to the South proved the sound, creative decision of the PCC and the CMC as well as their strategic vision and determination to completely liberate the South and reunify the country.

From the first cruise by the “Phuong Dong 1” Ship to February 1965, we transported thousands of tons of weapons and equipment alongside hundreds of senior cadres of the Party, the State, and the Military for the South revolution safely, thus fulfilling the expectations of the Southern Military and people. Although the enemy employed all cunning artifices and state-of-the-art weapons and military equipment for reconnaissance and patrols, they were unable to detect anything abnormal at sea; therefore, we kept secrecy about the strategic sea transport line. That was really a miracle and of utmost significance to our country’s resistance war, for national salvation. And that miracle took the enemy surprise as they said that “Viet Cong’s transport of weapons to the South by sea was far too risky and unbelievable.” Nevertheless, the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail was also confronted with numerous difficulties, hardships, and dangers; especially after the event at Vung Ro (February 1965), we could not maintain secrecy about our sea transport line. After finding out our sea transport line, the enemy carried out a series of plans against the North and employed a large number of aircraft and patrol ships to control every square kilometre of rivers, seas, and islands with a view to preventing and cutting off our strategic supply line. Against the enemy’s mopping-up operations, we secretly changed the transport method and travelled through other adjacent countries’ seas with a longer route and a larger quantity of petroleum, drinking water, and food, thereby facing more difficulties in loading and hiding supplies, the limited effectiveness of transport, and even more sacrifices and losses.      

However, under the spirit of sacrificing for the frontline and the South, the CMC and the Ministry of National Defence, particularly the Naval Party Committee and Command directed cadres and soldiers of the “No Number Naval Ships” to opportunely draw lessons after each cruise and determinedly overcome all difficulties and hardships to sufficiently provide human and material resources for the Southern battlefield. Flexibly and creatively applying the Vietnamese military art, cadres and soldiers of the Group 759 both secretly and publicly organised cruises, departed from many different harbours (even in other countries), landed in a large number of places, and travelled many sea lanes (on the high seas and in the international waters); when being detected, approached, attacked, or hijacked by the enemy, we fought back fiercely, even made sacrifice and destroyed our vessels to maintain the secrecy of our transport line.

Between 1961 and 1975, the “No Number Naval Ships” transported hundreds of thousands of tons of weapons and ammunition as well as tens of thousands of cadres to the Southern battlefield. It should be noted that the “No Number Naval Ships” transported 8,741 tons of weapons and 18,741 cadres and soldiers for the 1975 Spring General Offensive and Uprising in the South at lightning speed, making a significant contribution to the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country.

According to late General Vo Nguyen Giap, the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail is a symbol of determination to fight and defeat the U.S., expressing the iron will and knowledge of the Vietnamese people against the U.S. imperialists’ modern technology and their power of wealth. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet said that “the heroic exploits and great sacrifices of the strategic transport force named after our beloved Uncle Ho in the East Sea, the No Number Naval Ships, and people and troops at wharves tasked with providing human and material resources for the South revolution in the resistance war against the U.S., for national salvation will be forever in our country’s glorious history.”

The Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail and the Truong Son Trail constituted the two strategic military transport lines, opportunely meeting the needs of the Southwestern and Southeastern battlefields, effectively supplying human and material resources for the South’s people and Military, demonstrating the entire Party, Military, and people’s determination to defeat the U.S. invasion for national independence and freedom. 60 years have elapsed, but the leadership and direction over the establishment of the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail by the PCC, particularly the CMC and the Ministry of National Defence remain valuable and should continue to be studied and applied to the Homeland protection.

 The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) is following the developments of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26. Being one of the major climate-vulnerable countries, Bangladesh is a major party to this international conference. The CPD Power and Energy Study will publish a series of articles on key climate change-related issues highlighting the contexts, main debates and their impact and implications for Bangladesh. Articles will be published in The Daily Star every week till the middle of December 2021.

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) is just 15 days away. The COP26 secretariat, the UK and Italian government and governments of the participating countries are finalising their last days of preparation before meeting in Glasgow, UK from October 31 to November 12.

The major point of discussion now is: Will countries reach an agreement on three key issues? (a) phasing out of coal, (b) scaling up nationally determined contributions (NDCs); and (c) raising financing for adaptation.

Different parties and bodies related to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and, more specifically with the COP26, such as supreme bodies, subsidiary bodies, constituted bodies, funds and financial entities, ad-hoc working groups and non-party stakeholders, are now busy with dealing with issues.

Different party groups are taking preparation for the COP26, including developing country parties, the African Group, the Arab States, the Environmental Integrity Group, the European Union, the Least Developed Countries, the Small Island Developing States, the Umbrella Group, the OPEC countries, the CACAM, the Cartagena Dialogue, and the BASIC Group, which includes India and China. These groups have diverse offensive and defensive interests which need to be lessened to reach a consensus during the conference.

Global climate debates around COP26

Reaching consensus in the three key debating issues is the most difficult and complex process. First, countries need to agree to phase out coal by 2030 (developed countries) and 2040 (developing countries), abandoning fossil-fueled internal combustion engines.

There is a global call for saying no to any new coal-fired power plants and to join “Powering Past Coal Alliance”. The global coal-based power generation was 2,044,831 MW in 2019, of which 405,205 MW (19.8 per cent) is generated in developed countries and 80.2 per cent in developing countries. Currently, many coal power plants are under construction, which adds up to a capacity of 184,503 MW.

China, one of the biggest global investors of coal power plants, has recently announced that it would no longer invest in new coal power plants abroad. Such an announcement is highly appreciated. However, reaching the target of no-coal in developing countries by 2040, China needs a more aggressive commitment to its domestic use of coal.

Similar commitment will be required from India, with 228,964 MW of coal-based power generation capacity in 2019, for domestic and foreign-based power plants. Developed countries such as the US (246,187 MW), the EU and Japan and developing countries such as Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam need to commit to reducing coal-fired power plants.

Second, an ambitious target setting is necessary with a view to keeping 1.5°C within reach by 2050. As of July 30, 2021, 113 out of 191 parties submitted updated NDCs.

Based on the update, emissions are likely to decrease by 12 per cent by 2030, but the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently identified that we need about a 45 per cent net anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions reduction from 2010 level by 2030 to keep 1.5°C within our reach.

The current level of emissions will lead to an overall increase in the temperature of the planet by 2.7°C by the end of this century, which would be catastrophic. Will the heads of state of major developed and developing countries come forward with an ambitious commitment of targets for the reduction of carbon emission during the COP26?

Third, in the “Copenhagen Accord” adopted at the COP15 in 2009, developed countries promised jointly to mobilise $100 billion to address the needs of the developing countries by 2020. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the mobilised amount was $79.6bn in 2019.

The richest countries are behind in their commitment that needs to be met before the COP26 takes place. The UK has doubled international climate finance commitments, and this kind of initiative may help reach the target of $100bn on climate finance. The commitment made by the private sector on adaptation is highly discouraging, according to the UN Secretary-General – only 0.1 per cent of the total funding for adaptation.

While the Paris Agreement promised poorer countries technical and financial assistance in loss and damage, putting it in practice yet to be decided. The Santiago Network for Loss and Damage was established as part of the Warsaw International Mechanism in 2019. This COP can be the one where we operationalise the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage.

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement provides a foundation for an international carbon market that presents the possibility of trading emission reductions between countries. The challenge is that it may offer a loophole for not investing in emission reduction strategies while meeting the country’s target.

The Paris Rulebook implementation guideline for the Paris Agreement, which was adopted during the COP24 in 2018, with few unresolved issues, need to be finalised and agreed upon by parties. The COP26 is expected to finalise the Paris Rulebook.

Bangladesh in COP26

Bangladesh has a strong interest in the upcoming climate conference.

First, climate vulnerable countries like Bangladesh are already in climate emergency, characterised by more frequent and severe heat waves, heavy rainfall, and droughts.

As the current Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) presidency, Bangladesh released Climate Vulnerable Manifesto on September 7 following the CVF high-level exchange on the COP26. The manifesto calls for a “Climate Emergency Pact” in rebuilding the confidence in international climate cooperation.

This pact asks every country to enhance its effort on emission reduction to keep 1.5°C goal alive and 50 per cent of the $100bn climate finance to go to adaptation actions in the most vulnerable developing countries.

It is about time the global community acknowledges this by adopting a “Climate Emergency Pact”. Although there was supposed to be a 50:50 balance between climate change mitigation and adaptation actions, only $20.1bn went to climate change adaptation actions from $79.6bn in 2019.

Bangladesh has asked to include a delivery plan for a 50:50 balance between mitigation and adaptation in the pact. In the pre-COP closing plenary statement, Bangladesh emphasised the importance of the “Climate Emergency Pact” and is also looking for a much stronger role for loss and damages at Glasgow.

Second, it is expected that Bangladesh would make a forward-looking commitment to its nationally determined contributions. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, who is going to head the delegate in the COP26, would consider delivering Bangladesh’s energy transition plan, particularly in case of phasing out of remaining coal-based power plants – those which are in operation, under construction and under planning. In this connection, Bangladesh may seek financial and technical support for the early retirement of coal-based power plants through the energy transition council.

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Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has recently signed a decision approving the national target programme on socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas, with the first phase from now to 2025.

As part of the programme, ethnic minorities’ income is expected to double that of 2020.

The overall objective is to exploit the potential and advantages of ethnic minority and mountainous areas, promote economic development, ensure social security, and put in place rapid and sustainable poverty reduction.

It hopes to gradually narrow the gap between the areas’ living standards and average income and the national average income, reduce the number of communes and villages with special difficulties and set up an inter-regional socio-economic infrastructure system.

The areas will receive better education, training and healthcare, markedly improving people's lives, raising the quantity and quality of State employees who are ethnic minorities, preserving and promoting ethnic minorities’ culture.

Gender equality and urgent issues facing women and children will be resolved as well as maintaining social order and safety, ensuring national border security, consolidating and strengthening the great national unity.
The programme aims to reduce the rate of poor households by more than three percent per year, and all roads will be paved with asphalt or concrete. All schools and medical stations will be upgraded, and 99 percent of households will have access to electricity.

Up to 90 percent of ethnic minorities will have access to clean water and all have television or radio to receive information.

The programme hopes to move 60 percent of ethnic minority households living in remote and isolated areas at risk of flash floods and landslides. Land shortages will also be resolved.

More than 98 percent of five-year-old children will attend school. The rate of students at primary schools, junior secondary schools and high schools will be 97, 95 and 60 percent, respectively.

As many as 98 percent of ethnic minorities will be covered by health insurance and more than 80 percent of pregnant women will receive periodic examinations. The rate of malnourished children will be under 15 percent.

Under the programme, 50 percent of ethnic minorities of working age will receive proper vocational training that is suitable to their aspirations and living conditions.

At least 3,250km of rural roads will be paved with asphalt or concrete. More than 268,860 households will get access to clean water.

More than 320 boarding schools, more than 1,100 day-boarding schools, seven reserve universities and three boarding high schools will get more teaching materials and equipment.

More than 17,400 households will receive land and more than 18,300 others receive houses.

The programme will offer vocational training to about 2.25 million people.

About 320 training courses on intangible culture will be organised and 200 projects on traditional culture, which are at risk of disappearing, will be supported.

More than 5,000 poor students will get help to continue their studies every year.

Eighty villages will be used to promote tourism and 800 clubs for traditional culture will be founded.

More than 224,900 prestigious people in the community will be educated about necessary work related to ethnic minority affairs and 30,000 workers at the grassroots level will be taught IT skills./.

PT General Secretary Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez speaks highly of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s message of international solidarity.

Political parties have lauded Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s message of international solidarity sent to the annual international workshop entitled “Political parties and a new society” held recently in Mexico.

They described the message as a great source of encouragement for political parties, and left-wing and progressive organisations in Mexico, Latin America and the world at large.

In his message, Trong thanked the Mexican Labour Party (PT), left-wing political and progressive parties in Latin America and the Caribbean region, and other political parties worldwide for their support to the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) during the past struggle for national liberation, as well as the present cause of national construction and defence.

The leader also expressed his wish to deepen the friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the CPV and political parties in the world.

He said the workshop has contributed to the common struggle for peace, national independence, democracy, cooperation and social development and progress.

The event that took place from October 21-23 brought together more than 200 international delegates from 32 countries worldwide.

PT General Secretary Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) that he spoke highly of Trong’s message, saying it is a great source of encouragement for all progressive political parties attending the workshop./.