The European Union (EU) pledges to maintain its aid to Vietnam at the scheduled level from now to 2013, despite the impacts of the economic downturn. Sean Doyle, ambassador and head of delegation of the EU to VN made the statement in Hanoi on June 7at the launching ceremony of Blue Book 2010 - an annual report on EU development cooperation in Vietnam.

The EU Blue Book 2010 provides an overview of the development cooperation between the EU and Vietnam, outlines its main policy orientations, primarily poverty elimination. It also provides concrete facts and figures on the achievements made in 2009 and indicative commitments for 2010.

The launch of this book coincides with EU’s latest decision to fund the Annual Action Plan 2010 for Vietnam with 62,25 million EUR for three priority actions, including support for ethnic minorities through the Programme 135 worth 12 million EUR, the first health sector budget support worth 39.25 million EUR and the Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme which costs 11 million EUR.

The Blue Book this year underlines the importance of gender perspectives in development which are crucial to ensure better and more sustainable results.

“Our EU Annual Action programme 2010 is fully aligned with Government programmes in the health and tourism sectors and funds the successful Programme 135 targeting the poorest in Vietnam”, Doyle said.

Moreover, this book also highlights recent EU initiatives in an area of particular relevance for Vietnam, environment and climate change area, which focus on the careful and rational use of natural resources and contribute to promoting measures to combat regional or global environmental problems./.

Source: vnplus