The Norwegian government has financed $3.8 million for the second phase of a socio-economic development project for poverty reduction in Vietnam. The project will be carried out at 49 communes of five districts of Dinh Hoa, Tan Son, Doan Hung, Quang Ninh and Son Ha in the northern provinces of Thai Nguyen and Phu Tho; and the central provinces of Quang Binh and Quang Ngai. The project will focus on making socio-economic development plan at communal levels and building reliable database and information at communes and districts, aiming to help children, woman, ethnic groups and the poor get access to high-quality public services. The project’s first phase in the 2008-2010 helped build 342 plans on hamlet development and socio-economic development at 27 communes of the three districts of Ha Giang, Thai Nguyen and Quang Tri provinces. Norway has pledged around $6 million for two phases of the project so far. Vietnam reports 3.05 million poor households and 1.61 million near-poor ones, accounting for 14.2% and 7.53% of its total 87-million population, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) said. In 2011, the Southeast Asian country planned nearly VND1.81 trillion ($87 million) on a sustainable poverty reduction program and aims to cut the poverty rate to between 4%-5% by 2020 from 9.45% in 2010. (gafin.vn Sept 13, vietnamplus.vn Sept 13)
