Viêt Nam is a country that is carefully liberalizing its economy as it seeks to be an integral part of the global trading system. The latest phase of this is WTO accession, predicted for mid-2005. The Global Programme's activities in this country are geared towards connecting the competitiveness that Viêt Nam is developing with its social efficiency, so that the benefits of market liberalization are spread widely.
Sustainable Human Development through the Grassroots: Using Information and Communication Technologies in Rural and Mountainous Areas of Viêt Nam
The Global Programme in collaboration and agreement with the Government of Viêt Nam have been invited by seven villages, in six rural and mountainous provinces to provide and test a network (eLangViêt) in which specially-trained extension workers using Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in friendly community-based centres, will help meet the sustainable human development these communities.
The centres will contribute to achieving goals, set by each community, in providing relevant, accessible and easy-to-understand information on provincial markets and products, health issues and education and training, to economic workers, families and children. At the economic level, the centres will contribute to developing local and provincial markets, and in frontier regions, expanding them across national borders.
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Strategic Advice to the Leadership
Viêt Nam is currently in negotiation with the European Union on a Bilateral Trade Agreement and with the World Trade Orgranisation on its accession. The Programme provides strategic advice to the very highest levels of Viêt Nam's leadership on making the most from these sensitive negotiations.
Page of Life
Preparing the grassroots for WTO accession
As Viêt Nam prepares herself for WTO accession, it is essential that the rural grassroots are informed about this major step, which will affect each one of their lives. Preparation, however, has not been concentrating on the rural economy, which ensures the livelihood of 60% of the population, but rather on large companies in urban areas. This will only help to accentuate disparities between rich and poor once Viêt Nam accedes. The Global Programme and UNDP Viêt Nam are therefore assisting the Ministry of Trade to draft a short and straightforward one-sided A4 sheet of paper, called the Page of Life, informing the Vietnamese about the details of accession and how it will affect them personally. It will be distributed to every village in the country, thereby reaching 80 million people, and will be followed up with community information sessions.
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Preparing for Trade in Services
The Programme has funded three studies as part of the activities of the Asia Trade Initiative in Viêt Nam. These studies relate to trade in services and give policy advice on how these areas of strategic importance to Viêt Nam can contribute to the country's human development. The studies are on Movement of Natural Persons, Environment and Energy Services and Trade and Investment. The studies will be presented at a seminar in Ha Noi.
Event
Negotiating Viêt Nam's integration into the global economy: examples of energy, investment and related issues
Ha Noi, 3-4 June 2004
Contact
For more information on activities in Viêt Nam please contact Ian.Richards@unctad.org
