Sweden’s grant aid has gone to major areas of cooperation in Vietnam such as health, hunger and poverty reduction, democracy at grassroots level, justice, journalism, land administration, anti-corruption and energy. Its development cooperation programs have contributed to economic reform and improving the legal system in Vietnam.

Sweden was the second largest Official Development Assistance (ODA) donor in Vietnam in the 1970s, the first in the 1980s and the fourth in the 1990s. Sweden’s ODA accounted for 64 percent of all bilateral ODA and 36 percent of all bilateral and multilateral ODA for Vietnam in the 1980s.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong said that the two countries need to make the most of their potential and develop multifaceted cooperation. With experience and achievements in the last years, the two partners should look for new cooperation directions and drive towards a fair partnership in the future.

Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Camilla Mellander said that a number of major Sweden-funded projects had been developed during 46 years such as the National Hospital of Pediatrics in Hanoi, Uong Bi Hospital in Quang Ninh, Bai Bang Paper Mill in Phu Tho Province and mountain rural development projects in the country’s northern provinces.

National Hospital of Pediatrics former director Nguyen Thu Nhan said that during the Vietnam War, Sweden invested in medical material facilities and provided child care knowledge and skills for Vietnamese doctors, thus creating a basis for Vietnam to progressively reduce the number of children who died from epidemics and malnutrition. Sweden provided support for Vietnam when it faced numerous difficulties. The National Hospital of Pediatrics has become a leading central health facility and has provided a basis for the development of the Vietnamese health sector.

Cooperation in a new phase

Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Camilla Mellander said that Sweden’s ODA for Vietnam would just act as a catalyst for development since Sweden wanted to drive towards a bilateral cooperation model.

Sweden was committed to further contribute to the development in Vietnam in a new way. “Sweden’s contribution to Vietnam will go through global, multilateral programs of international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank,” said Ambassador Mellander.

Sweden also wants to seek opportunities for cooperation in the private sector in areas like environmentally-friendly technology, energy saving and education in Vietnam.

Ambassador Mellander pledged to continue developing the long and traditional ties between the two countries, while opening the door for people in both countries to make the most of opportunities to cooperate with each other and give initiatives to further develop the ties in a fairer and more open manner./.

Source: Vietnam economic news