The Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam co-organizes the presentation of the Norwegian Foreign Minister

The presentation was held in the form of direct and online discussion, with the two main bridgeheads in Hanoi and Oslo (Norway). At the bridgehead Hanoi, there were delegates from the ministries, departments, offices, and prestigious international relations research and teaching institutions. On behalf of the Foreign Ministry, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu attended and delivered a welcome speech.

Delivering her opening speech, Dr. Pham Lan Dung, Deputy Director in charge of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, expressed the honor of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam when being selected by the Norwegian Foreign Minister as the coordinating agency with the Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi to co-organize the presentation.

She said that it was an important event with practical significance contributing to the improvement of bilateral relations between Vietnam and Norway as well as the coordination between the two countries at multilateral forums. The presentation also reflected the two countries' strong commitment to multilateralism to effectively respond to challenges in the context of regional and international changes occur. 

In his welcome speech, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu emphasized that in the context of the world facing increasing challenges, multilateral tools played a very important role in addressing global issues. He also expressed his pleasure to witness the active and comprehensive development of Vietnam - Norway relations, towards the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries by 2021.

The long history of relations, common interests, and considerations, and the mutual commitment of the two countries to support multilateralism will be a solid foundation for Vietnam and Norway to promote cooperation not only on bilateral channels but also on international forums, especially at the United Nations when Norway becomes a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the term of 2021-2022.

Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu welcomed and expressed his wish for Norway to continue promoting cooperation with ASEAN, supporting ASEAN's central role in the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

Notably, in the ASEAN 2020 Chairman Year of Vietnam, the Norwegian National Assembly was given observer status at the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). Mr. Hieu said that it was an important event creating a driving force for the further development of the strategic sector partnership between Norway and ASEAN as well as cooperation between Norway and each ASEAN member including Vietnam.

Opening the presentation, Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide highlighted that the world was facing many geopolitical tensions, turmoil and emergency situations. In that context, the United Nations, in particular the Charter of the United Nations, was an important foundation for joint efforts to overcome uncertainty in the situation, based on principles of upholding international law, human rights and dignity.

She thanked Vietnam as the Chair of the Security Council in January 2020 for hosting the open discussion on compliance with the United Nations Charter. She also highly appreciated Vietnam's choice of the topic "Cohesion and proactive adaption" for ASEAN Chairman Year 2020. According to her, Vietnam's commitment to ASEAN was of great importance to strengthening the intra-regional solidarity and ASEAN's global role.

Foreign Minister Søreide affirmed that Norway and Vietnam both strongly believed in multilateralism and rule-based international cooperation. The old principles of multilateralism were being challenged by unilateralism, conflicts, climate change, and growing inequality. Challenges were exacerbated as the world was experiencing an unprecedented medical and socioeconomic crisis because of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In that context, only solidarity and international cooperation could bring recovery and development. She emphasized that COVID-19 had revealed more clearly the interdependence in today's world, and the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation was therefore increasingly urgent.

In 2019, Norway announced a White Paper on Multilateralism, which set out multilateral foreign directions based on a constructive and practical approach. Following that, Norway advocates to protect and expand options in foreign policy that prioritize issues and values ​​that were core to Norway, and promote reforms to focus on international institutions which were of vital importance to Norway's security and development, especially the United Nations, WTO, NATO and its relations with the European Union, and closer cooperation with countries supporting the order based on the law, including Vietnam.

Ms. Søreide said that during the 2021 - 2022 term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Norway's focus would include diplomacy to create peace and strengthen the role of women in establishing sustainable peace, protect people from conflict, and respond to climate-related security threats. She said that to be able to effectively address the challenges in the coming time, the United Nations needed to develop partnerships with regional institutions such as ASEAN and the EU.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister's speech ended with a strong affirmation of the value of the multilateral spirit that countries need to strengthen in order to recover and develop in today's challenging world. Delegates had the opportunity to have exchanges of view with the speakers about potential fields of cooperation between Vietnam and Norway, in particular emphasizing the mutual commitment and determination of the two countries to promote cooperation and contribute to reviving the multilateral spirit and strengthening the multilateral system for the benefit of the two countries, two regions, and the world.