New development in Vietnam – Norway relations

Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg has arrived in Hanoi, beginning her three-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The visit ushers in a new page of the relations and deepens the bilateral economic, trade and investment co-operation between Vietnam and Norway.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung (right) receives Norwegian PM in Hanoi (photo: VNA)

Vietnam and Norway established their diplomatic ties in November 1971. Over the past 45 years, the bilateral relations have seen active and profound development across politics, economics, culture and society.

The relationship has been marked by high-level visits, including the most recent visit to Norway by National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu in December 2013 and the visit to Vietnam by Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament Kenneth Svendsen late March. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg met on the sidelines of the third Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands in March 2014. Norway has positively supported Vietnam in poverty alleviation and international integration. The two sides have also co-operated effectively in forums and international organisations, signed seven agreements and co-operation documents, creating a legal framework for strengthening bilateral relations.

Vietnam and Norway have seen positive development in economic and trade co-operation with two-way trade posted at US$307.8 million USD in 2014.

Norway quickly concludednegotiations for Vietnam to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Vietnam and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA), in which Norway is one of the four members, have actively conducted negotiations on Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and EFTA have recognised the market economy status ofVietnam .

By the end of February 2015, Norway had 30 valid projects with total registered capital of US$121 million in Vietnam.

Norway is currently one of the largest sponsors of Vietnam in the UN Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD). Norwegian-funded projects in education, healthcare, natural resource management and renewable energy are also being carried out efficiently, helping the Southeast Asian nation fulfil the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule. Norway’s total assistance to Vietnam now exceeds US$320 million.

The co-operation between Vietnam and Norway in the field of education - training, culture , tourism, security - defense has achieved high results. Every year, Norway grants scholarships for Vietnamese students and supports capacity building for university lecturers. Norway also actively helps Vietnam train staff in areas of its advantages such as in human rights and peacekeeping . The Vietnamese community in Norway totals an estimated 20,000 people who have been gradually integrating into the host country and are seen as the link to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg’s visit is made with the intention of seeking concrete orientations and measures to step up bilateral cooperation across economy, investment, climate change, water management, renewable energy, agriculture, maritime economy, oil and gas, and the ship-building industry. It also looks to push forward negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) for its conclusion in 2015, as well as accelerating affiliation in realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and working out Sustainable Development Goals in post-2015.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)