VN-France Economic and Financial Forum 2012 opens

The 9th Việt Nam-France Economic and Financial Forum 2012, titled “Sustainable developing to suburban areas in Việt Nam”, Hà Nội, March 19 – Photo: VGP

Addressing the opening session, Deputy PM Hoàng Trung Hải highly valued topics raised for discussions at the forum as crucial and realistic.

The Deputy PM stressed that Việt Nam expects to learn practical experience for working out solutions, mechanism and policies for sustainable development in suburban areas in the country.

There are 15 reports focusing on job conversion for farmers in suburban areas, potentialities on handicraft villages at the edge of Hà Nội, land management in urbanized areas, effects of urbanization process to people’s lives, financial assistance solutions and policies and traffic in Hà Nội, said co-chair of the forum Jacob Christian.

After referring to issues related to public finance and management in 2003 and energy and sustainable development, the forum this year is expected to present the challenges big cities in Việt Nam are facing as a result of the country’s rapid urbanization since late 1980s.

Currently, Việt Nam’s urban system has 755 cities, including two big cities of Hà Nội and Hồ Chí Minh City.

According to the World Bank, Việt Nam is one of the  countries with the fastest urbanization rate in Southeast Asia. In 2010, the urban population in Việt Nam increased to 26.3 million people, up 30.5%.

By Thùy Dung