PM Nguyen Tan Dung receives USAID Director Henrietta H. Fore.

The Government Office and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed a Memorandum of Intention (MOI) on an extended project “in Support for Trade Acceleration” (STAR) for the 2010-11 period.

Addressing the signing ceremony in Hanoi on July 4, Minister, Director of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the project, which was first launched in 2001, has helped promote bilateral economic relations with focus on Bilateral Trade Agreement commitments, World Trade Organisation commitments and Vietnam-US Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.

With an annual budget of some US$3 million fully covered by USAID, the STAR project has also extended assistance in law making, administrative reforms, implementation of intellectual property and human resource development Phuc said.

He expressed his belief that the MOI, with higher financial commitments and broader goal, would enable the two parties to better implement the project in the next stage, thus contributing practically to the Vietnam-US relationship in the interest of the two peoples.

In reply, USAID Director Henrietta H.Fore described STAR as the outcome of increasingly stronger and deeper relations between the US and Vietnam.

She also said that with stronger financial commitments from the USAID, the MOI would help expand STAR projects in Vietnam.

STAR is a programme of co-operation between USAID and the Government Office which represents almost 40 ministries, organisations and local administrations in Vietnam.

In the afternoon, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received USAID Director Henrietta H. Fore when appreciated the signing of the MOI on the extended STAR project as a practical contribution to the Vietnam-US relationship.

“Vietnam has been pursuing its unswerving policy of boosting co-operation with the US in the principle of equality and mutual interest, especially in the fields of economics, trade, investment and education and vocational training,” emphasised the Government leader.

He pledged that the Vietnamese Government would do its utmost to fulfill its commitments to the US as reflected in the Joint Statement released at the end of his recent visit to the US.

“We wish that the USAID will continue co-operation with and assistance to Vietnam in environment and epidemics control,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister concluded by extending congratulations on the US Independence Day (July 4).

Earlier in the day, the USAID Director held a working session with Governmental Office Director Phuc. She expressed satisfaction at the STAR and the VN Competitiveness Index (VNCI) projects, both funded by USAID, for their faring well in Vietnam.

She informed her host of the upgrading of the USAID office in Vietnam into an official mission on July 4.

She said the event reflected the increasing importance of diplomatic and economic relations between Vietnam and the US as well as USAID’s commitments to strengthening its sources and staff for its Vietnam projects. (Nhan Dan, VNA)