Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) and Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power. (Photo: VNA)

At the meeting, PM Chinh highly appreciated USAID's contributions to the recent development of Viet Nam-US relations through effective aid activities, contributing to the settlement of post-war consequences, hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, and promotion of sustainable and inclusive development in Viet Nam.

The PM welcomed USAID's plan to expand operations in Viet Nam, speed up approval procedures and implement projects to increase the effectiveness of development aid.

He suggested USAID continue to increase support for Viet Nam in overcoming the consequences of the war, focusing on handling Agent Orange/dioxin at Bien Hoa Airport and other hotspots, supporting people with disabilities, war victims, supporting the search for remains of Vietnamese martyrs, and especially helping with DNA assessment capacity of Vietnamese scientists through the construction of a high-tech centre in this field.

While welcoming USAID's 70-million-USD financial support for Fulbright University Viet Nam for the development and modernisation of educational institutions and universities in the country, the PM also asked USAID to further assist Viet Nam in health, culture, environmental protection, combating climate change and protecting biodiversity in the Mekong Delta.

Power informed about USAID’s plan to expand and enhance its operational efficiency in Viet Nam. USAID will focus on assisting Viet Nam in dioxin decontamination, bomb and mine clearance, marine environment protection, response to climate change and energy transition, she said.

The Administrator also introduced a number of USAID-funded global initiatives in reducing ocean plastic waster and sustainable infrastructure development in which  Viet Nam can take part.

At the meeting, PM Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation witnessed the exchange of two cooperation documents between USAID and the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment to improve economic competitiveness and support local capacity development. The cooperation would last until 2028 with the total amount of official development assistance being 100 million USD.

A project on enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnam’s private sector (IPS-C) was also announced. The project, with an ODA amount of 36.3 million USD will last until 2025./.