| Kinga Göncz Minister for Foreign Affairs had two thematic programs during her official visit to Vietnam on 20 March 2008, reflecting the growing importance of the development cooperation issues in our foreign relations. The Foreign Minister and the Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Development Cooperation. The MoU will facilitate the implementation of the Agreement on Development Cooperation signed between the two governments in July 2005, specifying the sectors and the nature of the activities. In the 3 years timeframe of the document the cooperation will focus on the transfer of Hungarian experiences related to structural and economic changes and institutional reorganisation in the areas of statistics, public finance management modernisation, banking and financial sector reform. Support will be provided by targeted study tours and training programmes in Hungary, visit of experts, and ‘twinning links’ between key Hungarian and Vietnamese institutions, as defined in Annual Work Plans (AWP). Following a consultation process the AWPs will be approved and overseen by the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment. The Minister visited the Hanoi Hope Center, where disabled children - autistic or born with cerebral palsy - are taken care of with the help of the Hungarian FLAME-method, among others. In the framework of a project funded by the Foreign Ministry and implemented by the Baptist Aid, Hungarian conductors introduced the system (named after the function, language and movement education it combines), which is based on the Petho-method. Special wooden furniture have been produced for the children, and the Vietnamese conductors use a translated instruction manual. |