8/JUL/2003 PHAP LUAT PAGE 1 -- by Vu Hong Thuy

The Ministry of Justice and US-Vietnam Trade Council (USVTC) on July 7 signed a project memorandum on assistance to international trade law training project. The project is scheduled to last three years from July 7, 2003 to July 7, 2006 , in which the USVTC will provide US$1.5 million to assist the implementation of the project and the Vietnam side contributes US$300,000 of counterpart capital. Major objectives of the project are to improve training on international trade law at tertiary education and vocational training facilities in Vietnam to boost the development and international integration process. 

Especially, the project will assist Vietnam to build up and standardize training programs, curriculums and materials about international trade law at universities and colleges in 3 years.  Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Minister of Justice Ministry Hoang The Lien highly appreciates the role of USVTC and wishes the project would enhance capability and quality of key Vietnamese legal and judicial officials in terms of their knowledge and experience about international trade law.  

As reported, the project is to train a core group of 50 experts on international trade law; to build up framework training programs, curriculums and materials on international trade law based on the WTO's basic principles; to assist in developing resources to build up a database relating to international trade law and organize study tours to the relevant foreign countries. 

To the fullest extent possible, and upon the availability of additional funding, the project shall also include overseas academic training on international trade law for postgraduate and doctorate law students.  The beneficiaries of the Project will include legal and judicial officials in charge of international integration of the Ministry of Justice and other relevant ministries and agencies; Vietnamese legal and judicial officials including judges, notaries, lawyers and other judicial officials participating in training programs; the Hanoi College of Law; the Ho Chi Minh City College of Law; the Legal Professional Training School; the Law Faculty of the National University of Hanoi; the International Relation Institute; the Foreign Trade College and other economics universities such as National Economics University, Financial Institute.