The European Union (EU) pledged to provide EUR940 million ($1.1 billion) in official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam this year, accounting for 17.5% of its total oversea aids, said an EU official.
The sum including $304 million in non-refundable aid will focus on the Vietnamese poverty reduction and healthcare programs, the Lao Dong newspaper reported June 8, citing Ambassador Sean Doyle, head of the European Commission Delegation. The EU has committed to maintain its ODA funds for developing countries, including Vietnam, from now to 2013 despite bad impacts of the global economic downturn, Doyle added at a launching ceremony of the union’s Green Book 2010 on June 7. The ambassador disclosed that the EU decided to fund Vietnam EUR62.25 million in aid on June 4 to support the national ethnic minorities, health and tourism sectors. Up to 10 million people in Vietnam are now living under the poverty line, particularly those in mountainous and remote areas; therefore, EU will pay special attention to Vietnam’s poverty reduction, the official highlighted. Green Book is published annually by the European Commission delegation to Vietnam. This year book reviews the Vietnam-EU cooperation and offers recommendations for the Southeast Asian country’s future development.
