Norwegian authorities have pledged to continue providing official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam in next years, the state-run Vietnam News Agency said June 17. The commitment was made during Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai’s five-day visit to Norway ended June 16. The funding will be prioritized for projects to cope with climate change, develop clean energy and renewable energy, the Norwegian authorities added. At the meeting, the foreign authorities highly praised the Vietnamese government’s efforts on curb economic downturn, hungry elimination and poverty reduction. Norway authorities also committed to help Vietnamese goods enter their market and then penetrate into the North European market and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA). The sides agreed to boost their cooperation to encourage more Norwegian investors to invest in infrastructure and energy projects in Vietnam in the form of public-private partnership (PPP). Hai said the Vietnamese government will facilitate Norwegian firms, especially those engaging in oil and gas, shipbuilding, maritime, clean technology, aquaculture, and information technology, to establish a long-term and effective business in Vietnam. Vietnam is among priority recipients of ODA sources from the Norwegian government. It pledged $10 million ODA for Vietnam this year. Norway is among the first European countries to set up diplomatic ties with Vietnam in 1971. The two-way trade, however, remains modest at $120 million last year. Norwegian companies have to date invested $77.9 million into 23 projects in the Southeast Asian country.
