Minister Hautala in Vietnam: Our common 40 years constitute an excellent basis for new kind of cooperation
Press release 25/2013
25 January .2013
The diplomatic relations between Finland and Vietnam were tied exactly 40 years ago today 25 January. Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala, currently visiting Vietnam, celebrated the day attending a reception in Hanoi.
“An enormous change has happened in this country during these years to which Finland has been able to contribute. Economic development has been fast and it seems that, by 2015, the country will reach almost all of the Millennium Development goals agreed at the UN,” the Minister pointed out.
Very concrete ways of supporting development in Vietnam have been at the core of cooperation. During our long collaboration, not all has always gone according to plans, but, for example, in Hanoi and Haiphong people are still talking about the legendary ‘Finland water’ thanks to water projects of the 1990s.
Now Vietnam has reached a phase in its development in which commercial opportunities increase. Therefore the Minister is accompanied by a business delegation representing the cleantech sector.
“I believe that development cooperation has also created an excellent basis for future economic cooperation. Finland and Finnish companies have a lot to contribute, for example, in promotion of technological innovations and innovations benefiting the poor."
In spite of the rapid development, Vietnam still has many problems to solve, the greatest of which include reducing inequality, creating jobs, and enhancing the quality of education and social safety nets. The Minister also highlighted the concern for implementation of human rights.
“Open society and free access to information are the cornerstones of Finnish welfare too. Economic development of the country is also largely based on this.”
Today Minister Hautala will have talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Minister Bui Quang Vinh, responsible for development cooperation affairs. After that the Minister will continue her journey from Hanoi to central Vietnam. This is the first time an official Finnish business delegation visits Da Nang, the capital of central Vietnam.
See a video about Finnish development cooperation in Vietnam: what has been achieved in 40 years?
A collection of photos ‘Minister Hautala in Vietnam’ on Flickr:http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlk_global/sets/72157632602616662/(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)
Further information: Kimmo Lähdevirta, Finnish Ambassador in Hanoi, +84 9034 00612, [email protected]; and Milma Kettunen, Press Attaché for the Minister for International Development, tel. +358 40 522 9869, [email protected]