Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg has arrived in Ha Noi, beginning her three-day official visit to Viet Nam at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The visit ushers in a new page of the relations and deepens the bilateral economic, trade and investment co-operation between Viet Nam and Norway.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung (right) receives Norwegian PM in Hanoi (photo: VNA)

Viet Nam and Norway established their diplomatic ties in November 1971. Over the past 45 years, the bilateral relations have seen active and profound development across politics, economics, culture and society.

The 2 countries  have seen positive development in economic and trade co-operation with two-way trade posted at US$307.8 million USD in 2014.

Norway quickly concludednegotiations for Viet Nam to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Viet Nam and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA), in which Norway is one of the four members, have actively conducted negotiations on Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and EFTA have recognised the market economy status of Viet Nam.

By the end of February 2015, Norway had 30 valid projects with total registered capital of 121 million US$ in Viet Nam.

Norway is currently one of the largest sponsors of Vietnam in the UN Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD).

Prime Minister Erna Solberg’s visit is made with the intention of seeking concrete orientations and measures to step up bilateral cooperation across economy, investment, climate change, water management, renewable energy, agriculture, maritime economy, oil and gas, and the ship-building industry.

(Source: Nhan Dan Online)