(CPV) - The Australian Government will provide 150.4 million Australian dollars (around 3.2 trillion VND) in official development assistance to Vietnam for the 2012 - 2013 period, said the Australian Embassy to Vietnam on May 9.
This means Vietnam will be Australia’s fifth largest bilateral recipient of development assistance.
Accordingly, Vietnam will benefit from additional funding to reduce the negative impacts of climate change as part of a new East Asia initiative. The 2012-2013 budget commits 208.6 million Australian dollars over four years to countries in East Asia to increase incomes, and boost health and education services for the poor, and reduce the negative impact of climate change in Vietnam.
“Australia is committed to assisting Vietnam to overcome poverty and achieve sustainable development, as demonstrated by the 12.5 million Australian dollars increase in funding in 2012-13. This is part of the Government’s overall commitment to increase the size of the Australian aid program to 5.2 billion from 4.8 billion in 2011-12, equivalent to 0.35 per cent of Australia’s Gross National Income”, said Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Allaster Cox.
Managed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Australia’s aid program in Vietnam is focused on five main areas: human resource development, infrastructure, reducing the negative impacts of climate change, improving public health by increasing access to safe water and sanitation, and economic reform.
 |
|
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of Australia, visited a safe
swimming class for children in Da Nang city. |
Between 2012-2013, Australia will continue to assist Vietnam to improve access to essential infrastructure services such as water supply and sanitation as well as transport linkages that connect poor areas to key transport and economic corridors.
The support will include completion of the design of the Cao Lanh bridge which will deliver significant economic and social benefits by improving transport access for residents in the densely populated central Mekong delta area.
Besides, the country will provide 245 Australian Development Scholarships to Vietnam, which are designed to develop the skills of the Vietnamese people so they can contribute to development in Vietnam across government agencies, universities, business and community organizations. Additional scholarships will be provided through other government programs.
Consistent with commitments made, the Government also released a new Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework on May 8. The Framework articulates a four-year vision for Australian aid that sets out how much Australia will deliver, where and why by 2015-2016.
This will enable the Australian Government to work together with Vietnam to better plan and implement aid investments more effectively over the next four years, delivering better results for Vietnamese people./.