Norway hails Viet Nam’s continued emphasis on upholding international law

At a ceremony on celebration of the 211st anniversary of Norway's Constitution Day that took place in Ha Noi on Friday, Solbakken suggested that Viet Nam and Norway should seek solutions based on international law and shared desire for a peaceful, just and more sustainable future.

"We greatly value the strong cooperation we have with Viet Nam to find solutions to some of the most pressing global challenges, including combating climate change and ensuring clean and healthy oceans. I am proud to say that our cooperation in these areas continues to deepen", she shared.

Viet Nam and Norway work together for a green energy transition, through the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and increasingly in green shipping. Joint efforts for a more circular economy are showing promise for better waste management systems, benefiting both people and planet. Cooperation to develop sustainable marine aquaculture holds potential for jobs as well as food security.

"Norway and Viet Nam are both open economies, greatly dependent on trade. Norway is a strong supporter of open markets and rules-based trade, and we hope to move forward this year on a free trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and Viet Nam", told the diplomat.

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said, Viet Nam and Norway are both peace-loving countries, striving to achieve sustainable development goals in line with protecting natural environment and ensuring social welfare for all citizens, thereby contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability, and prosperity in their respective regions and around the world.

The two nations share several development priorities in areas such as renewable energy, the marine economy, science and technology, innovation, green and circular economic development, and the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

"Only through promoting the development of science and technology, enhancing close international cooperation, and fully harnessing the potential of each country, we can together achieve the above sustainable development goals," the Deputy Minister shared.

According to the diplomat, Viet Nam is Norway's second-largest trading partner in ASEAN (behind Singapore). The two-way trade turnover exceeded US$450 million in 2024, with Norway's seafood exports to Viet Nam reaching over US$250 million, an increase of 16 percent against the previous year.

Senior leaders of both countries have expressed support for the early conclusion of negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement between the EFTA bloc and Viet Nam, aiming to connect Viet Nam's market of over 100 million people with the EFTA.

Currently, Norway has 56 direct investment projects in Viet Nam with a total registered capital of nearly US$200 million, ranking 40th out of 149 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation.

To further unlock significant untapped potential, the two countries are actively working together to develop a new cooperation framework in the fields of sustainable marine economy and renewable energy, noted the Deputy Minister./.