2017 easton mako fastpitch

Bui Thanh Son – Minister of Foreign Affairs

Vietnam has been and will continue to be a reliable friend and partner, an active and responsible member of the United Nations and the international community.

Every year, landmines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices claim nearly 10,000 casualties, mostly civilians and children in conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Libya, and Yemen, but also alarmingly in places like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, where wars ended decades ago.

It is a stark reminder that the wounds cut deep in the aftermath of wars and create long-lasting, destabilising effects to post-conflict peacebuilding and sustainable peace. It reminds us that peace cannot be sustained if the legacy of wars is not addressed.

Indeed, the international community has come together to address this challenge. Actions taken by member states, the United Nations system, particularly the United Nations Mine Action Services, international organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other stakeholders have proven critical in mitigating dangers and addressing multiple challenges caused by explosive remnants of war.

The Security Council, with the adoption of its landmark Resolution 2365 on mine action in 2017, has also stressed the importance of ensuring that peacekeeping operations are equipped, informed, and trained to reduce such threats. All efforts have contributed meaningfully to post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation efforts. However, much remains to be done. The greatest challenge, as always, is a matter of political will. Regrettably, mine action has not been accorded the level and span of attention it deserves. The contaminated areas are vast and the number of victims in need of assistance is overwhelming. The resources allocated are dwarfed by the complexity and magnitude of the problem.

Decades of wars in Vietnam have caused untold sorrow and left destructive, lingering effects. To this day, almost one-fifth of Vietnam’s land areas are still contaminated by unexploded ordnances. Clearance efforts, if continued at the current speed and resources, will take another hundred years to complete, seriously hindering our sustainable development.

Clearance must also be complemented by victim assistance, awareness-raising, and risk education at all levels, and importantly, the creation of sustainable livelihoods so that the fruits of peace are durable and meaningful. Mine action, after all, is about protecting and caring for our people and our communities, especially the most vulnerable.

This holistic approach we take involves all stakeholders. Leading the efforts are our experienced and competent military engineers, effectively supported by national and international partners.

Cooperation in mine clearance, including between former foes, like Vietnam and the US, has proven valuable in healing the wounds of war.

At the international level, mine action requires a whole-of-system, coherent, and long-term approach. Stronger partnerships are vital for better delivery and sustainable results. This means enhanced support and increased resources to all stakeholders, from national governments and regional organisations, like the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre, to NGOs, and those working on the ground. Adequate and regular financing, technological assistance to help clearance and decontamination, capacity building, knowledge, and experience sharing to those affected must be stepped up.

Finally, the United Nations and especially the Security Council should build on the Resolution 2365 and expand efforts to ensure the safety of its peacekeepers, protect civilians, and sustain peace. The council should mainstream mine action in its relevant agenda items and country-specific discussions.

Sustaining peace is hard, and even harder when we work alone. Vietnam has repeatedly called for an inclusive approach transpiring all parts of the peace spectrum and involving all stakeholders. Peace can only be sustained when a comprehensive and holistic approach is adopted. In this regard, as a key initiative during our chairmanship of the council, the president of Vietnam will convene a high-level open debate on enhancing measures for conflict prevention and resolution on April 19. We will spare no effort to forge a stronger partnership for sustainable peace.

The construction plan would make no major impact on the surroundings with no tree being removed and the original soil structure under the sidewalks around the lake remaining intact.

The renovation works of Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of Hanoi need to be implemented quickly, avoiding major alteration to the surroundings, the People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem District said on November 25.

Vice Chairman of the district government Pham Tuan Long said his committee has included upgrading the revetments around Hoan Kiem Lake in the project of construction, renovation and embellishment for the area around the lake in 2019.

Serious subsidence of embankments around Hoan Kiem lake. Photo: HNM

The entire embankment of Hoan Kiem Lake is about 1,600-meter long, of which about 600m have sunk.

The revetment around Hoan Kiem Lake is expected to be made of fiber-reinforced, non-corrosive concrete that can be eternal and is a Vietnamese technology. In November, this technology was piloted to embank a five-meter section at Truc Bach Lake, Ba Dinh district.

The construction plan would make no major impact on the surroundings with no tree being removed and the original soil structure under the sidewalks around the lake remaining intact. Also, the impact on urban traffic and people’s daily life would be minimized, Long noted.

Prof. Vu Dinh Phung from the Water Resources University of Vietnam said that the solution is reliable and the technology has been successfully piloted in Truc Bach Lake. “That the construction methods ensure no impact on the environmental landscape is important,” Phung stressed.

Architect Nguyen Quoc Thong, standing vice president of the Vietnam Association of Architects, noted the architecture must be suitable to the landscape.

“It is necessary to create a link between the lake’s embankment and its water surface, combine trees and light to create a natural space,” Thong added.

Vice Chairman of Hoan Kiem district People’s Committee Pham Tuan Long affirmed that the experts’ advice will be reported to the Hanoi People’s Committee before the project is implemented.

The embankment around Hoan Kiem Lake has been built for a long time and started showing signs of degradation from 2017, Long said.

In the immediate future, to ensure safety for the city’s residents and tourists visiting the lake, the Hoan Kiem Management Board started to place warning signs at fences of embankments and paths around the lake. It also regularly monitors any change of the embankment around the lake to promptly report to the local government for repair.

Vietnamese students contribute nearly US$1 billion to the US economy.

Illustrative photo

The report for the 2018-2019 academic year (AY) shows that Vietnam remains the sixth leading country of origin for all international higher education students in the US, with 24,392 students studying at US institutes of higher education, a 0.3% increase from AY 2017-2018. Vietnamese students contribute nearly US$1 billion to the US economy.

Of the 24,392 Vietnamese higher education students in the US, 69.9% were undergraduates, 15.2% were graduate level students, 10.2% enrolled in Optional Practical Training (OPT), and the remaining 4.6% were pursuing non-degree programs.

The data also revealed that Vietnam is becoming a more popular destination for American students. The number of American students studying abroad in Vietnam increased 7.1%, from 1,147 in AY 2016-17 to 1,228 in AY 2017-18.

According to the report, 1.1 million international students were studying at US higher education institutes during AY 2018-2019, a 0.05% increase over AY 2017-2018.

The US remains the top host of international higher education students globally with 21% of the total, double the number of students as the next closest competitor.

On the eve of the 25th Anniversary of US-Vietnam diplomatic relations, the Open Doors data is demonstrable proof that education remains a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship.

With a total of approximately 30,000 Vietnamese students pursuing studies at all levels in the US, the US Mission to Vietnam will continue to promote opportunities for Vietnamese students to study in the US through its EducationUSA services, American Centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and American Hangouts in Can Tho and An Giang.

The money for railway maintenance is available, but remains inaccessible to maintenance units because no final decision has been made on whom to allocate capital – the Vietnam Railway Authority (VRA) or Vietnam Railways (VNR).