Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and WB Country Director in Vietnam Ousmane Dione (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded outgoing Country Director of the World Bank(WB) in Vietnam Ousmane Dione for his impressive contributions to the ties between thelender and the country, during a reception in Hanoi on June 22.
The PM suggested that on hiscapacity as WB Country Director for four African countries in the near future,Dione will serve as a bridge to expand Vietnam’s exports to Africa.
He thanked the lender for itsimportant contributions to Vietnam’s development, including povertyreduction projects, supply of loans and technical consultation to the finance-banking sector.
The host also expressed thanks tothe WB for supporting Vietnam in the fight against COVID-19.
Dione, for his part, congratulatedVietnam on becoming an example of COVID-19 response in the world thanks todrastic directions of the Government.
He expressed his delight that theVietnamese Government has taken note of the WB’s policy recommendations and proposed that Vietnam further step up digital transformation, offer services to the public faster andimprove the operation efficiency of the State apparatus.
Speaking highly of the PM’sdirections to attract more foreign direct investment, Dione said the Government’sissuance of Decree 56 on the management and use of official developmentassistance and preferential loans by foreign sponsors is necessary.
On water resources in Mekong Riverand the Mekong Delta, Dione highlighted the need to promote international cooperationin dealing with the issue and affirmed that the WB and hissuccessor will always stand side by side with Vietnam during development process.
About the WB’s fiscal projects 2020,the PM thanked Dione for assisting Vietnam in graduating from the InternationalDevelopment Assistance (IDA), informing his guest that he has assigned theFinance Ministry to work with the WB on COVID-19 response loans, adding that the ministry and the Ministry of Planning andInvestment have also been assigned to collect the WB’srecommendations./.
