Vietnam, Nordic countries share sustainable development experiences

The annual event, organised on the occasion of Nordic Day (March 23), aims to strengthen academic exchange and share experience regarding sustainable development between Vietnam and Nordic countries.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Director of the Academy, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duong Trung Y emphasised one of the factors constituting the success of Nordic countries is their persistent pursuance of a sustainable development model which associates economic growth with social justice.

The socio-economic development model of the Nordic bloc has brought about significant achievements in terms of economic development, social welfare, environmental protection, and the preservation and promotion of cultural identities, and is a useful source of reference for countries around the world, including Vietnam, he noted.

Over the past few years, Nordic countries have many times won the title of “Europe’s Greenest Capital City”, awarded by the European Commission, Y said, stating that the administration and development experiences of the Nordic bloc’s cities and capitals are useful references for Hanoi in particular and other major Vietnamese cities as a whole.

Representing the ambassadors of the four Nordic countries in Vietnam, Swedish Ambassador Ann Mawe said that Nordic countries are proud to be long-time friends with a strong level of support for Vietnam’s poverty reduction and sustainable development causes.

Expressing her positive impression of Vietnam’s promotion of socio-economic growth, she stated that the current focus of this process is the transition to greener and more sustainable development, where economic security must go hand in hand with social and environmental security.

Over the past decade, the capital cities of Nordic countries, including Copenhagen (Denmark), Helsinki (Finland), Oslo (Norway), and Stockholm (Sweden), have made bold political and administrative decisions to tackle urbanization, climate change and environmental challenges, the ambassador said.

She affirmed that Nordic countries are willing to share their knowledge and experience to help Vietnam drive its economic transition in a greener and more sustainable direction.

At the seminar, participants discussed the knowledge and lessons learned in the urban development process of the Nordic bloc and Vietnam at present. They also commented on the status quo of green growth in Vietnam, the master plans and top priorities for green city development, specific solutions for green transport in cities, and the developmental experience of Copenhagen.