| | PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng at the CG 2007 - Photo: VNGOP | After briefing significant achievements gained by Việt Nam in 2007, the Government chief stated that the country is now facing a lot of difficulties and challenges: rocketing prices, unstabilized macro-economy, poor infrastructure, high rate of traffic accidents and jams, and troublesome administrative procedures. Meanwhile, complicated fluctuations in the world market and unpredicted climate changes are also causing negative impacts on Việt Nam. PM Dũng stated that the Government set determination to fulfill socio-economic goals of the 5-year plan (2006 – 2010) within 2008, so that Việt Nam, entering 2010, will be no longer an underdeveloped country. He hoped that international donors make new, more substantial ODA channels available to Việt Nam, especially in capital construction, training high-skilled human resource, strengthening management regimes and capacity, and poverty alleviation. “We always treasures every single penny from the ODA. Donors could rest assured that the Government of Việt Nam shall implement with the highest responsibility its commitments, concentrating more on guiding its agencies in enhancing the effectiveness of ODA utilization”, PM Dũng stressed. The World Bank’s representative lauded Việt Nam for obtaining a comprehensive development, improving people’s material and spiritual life while avoiding unequal development and rich-poor gaps like in some developed countries. He praised Việt Nam as a good example for other underdeveloped countries in economic development and poverty reduction. He suggested the Government better fulfill international commitments as well as boost administrative and financial reforms to attract and fruitfully use external resources. WB pledged to grant Việt Nam with more experience, techniques and funds. The representative of the IMF also highly appreciated the Vietnamese Government’s policies. The IMF proposed that Việt Nam should develop both hard (roads, bridges, airports, seaports) and soft infrastructure (management, human resource, policy and IT development). Renewing financial and monetary system as well as management policies will make Việt Nam more flexible in dealing with risks caused by international integration and world market fluctuations. Like WB, the IMF promised to further support Việt Nam in the future. By Xuân Hồng | 