The Swiss government has pledged to continue providing $25 million in official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam annually in the coming years, said Martin Dahinden, Director-General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Martin Dehinden made the commitment at a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi on June 1, the Vietnamese government said on its website late June 2. The ODA will help Vietnam to boost its bilateral economic cooperation and partnership as well as poverty reduction, Dehinden added. Dung hailed achievements of the two-side relationship, particularly a number of major cooperation agreements signed during President Nguyen Minh Triet’s recent visit to Switzerland. Switzerland has provided $300 million in ODA for Vietnam since 1990 and the European country always lists Vietnam among priority nations of receiving its ODA, Dehinden confirmed. Last year, two-way trade hit approx $2.6 billion, including Vietnam’s exports of $2 billion. The Southeast Asian nation mainly exported footwear, seafood, coffee, garments, and textiles to Switzerland. Switzerland currently has 74 investment projects valued at $1.43 billion in Vietnam, ranking the 19th among 86 countries and territories.
