With the growing potential for cooperation in areas such as green production, renewable energy, and high technology, the close connection between Vietnam and Europe not only helps to improve the competitiveness of economies but also contributes to the global common effort on sustainable development associated with environmental protection.
Vietnam and Switzerland have witnessed more than half a century of good cooperation in many aspects, despite the complex and profound changes in the world context, with opportunities and challenges intertwined.
In an interview with Nhan Dan Newspaper about this strong relationship, Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass emphasised that Switzerland is proud to be a partner in the process of building a rapidly developing and dynamic economy in Vietnam. Since the early 1990s, in terms of development cooperation, Switzerland has provided more than 650 million USD in funding to support Vietnam's economic development.
Cooperation between the two sides has shifted from traditional support to economic development cooperation. Assessing Vietnam as a proactive and responsible partner to the international community, Ambassador Thomas Gass stated that the ambitious climate goals, including the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, have demonstrated Vietnam's commitment to actively contributing to global efforts towards sustainable development.
Pursuing a neutral foreign policy, Switzerland has diplomatic relations with most countries and is home to many international organisations, including the World Economic Forum (WEF). As the most important conference on the WEF's annual agenda and attracting a large number of delegates from around the world, the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland) is where global leaders exchange and propose important ideas, contributing to shaping cooperation trends and handling global issues.
Senior Vietnamese leaders regularly attend the WEF Annual Meetings. In June 2023, Vietnam and WEF signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the 2023-2026 period, laying the foundation for closer connections in the new period.
The theme of the WEF Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos is “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”. During his visit and work in Vietnam in October 2024, Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of WEF, once stated that the “Intelligent age” is not just an abstract concept, it is a reality in which young people in Vietnam will live, work and study.
Expressing his deep impression of the dynamism and quickness to catch up with smart technology trends of the young generation of Vietnam, Professor Klaus Schwab said that this is one of the major competitive advantages that Vietnam needs to continue to promote to achieve strategic development goals.
Besides Switzerland, the European Union (EU) is also an important partner of Vietnam in the green transition and sustainable development process. Vietnam always prioritises promoting multi-faceted cooperation with EU countries, including the Czech Republic and Poland - two countries that have had close ties with Vietnam for many decades.
Despite being geographically distant, the Czech Republic and Poland have provided Vietnam with valuable support and assistance in terms of material and spiritual matters, in the cause of national liberation and defence.
2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam, the Czech Republic and Poland. With a tradition of friendship and sincere cooperation, Vietnam is striving to develop relations with these two Central Eastern European countries to new heights, focusing on exploiting the potential for cooperation in new areas such as green transformation, digital transformation, renewable energy, and mining.
Green growth is a global trend and an inevitable choice for Vietnam, an Asian country heavily affected by climate change, to achieve sustainable development goals. This is also a strong area in many European countries. The strong relationship that has been nurtured over the years is a solid foundation for Vietnam and its European partners to successfully open the door to cooperation in many new potential areas, towards a sustainable prosperous future for the countries.
