On the morning of March 09, 2023, the delegation of the Norwegian Embassy in Viet Nam, led by Ambassador Hilde Solbakken, visited and worked with the leader of the City People’s Committee and representatives of relevant departments and agencies.
Overviewing the meeting. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs.
At the meeting, the Chairman of the City People’s Committee warmly welcomed and shared the city’s positive results in economic development. Indeed, in recent years, although COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected many countries and localities around the world, the city’s economic growth figure has remained at 12 - 13%, and direct foreign investment attraction has reached more than 24 billion USD. While, direct foreign investment of Norwegian investors is only modest with one project. Since taking office in September 2022, the Norwegian Ambassador has been very impressed with the economic development of Hai Phong City. In the context of 52nd anniversary of the establishment of Viet Nam – Norway diplomatic relationship, the Ambassador wishes that friendship and cooperation of both sides at all levels would be consolidated and developed. As one of countries actively participating in the energy transition for zero carbon goal agreed at the COP 26, Norway is committed to enhancing its role alongside global efforts, including Viet Nam, in transition energies to renewable energies, new energies, including wind power and solar energy. In addition, the Norwegian Ambassador expressed Norway’s interests in making efforts to sustainably develop of marine economics, marine agriculture, reduce ocean plastic waste towards a circular economy.
The Chairman of the City People’s Committee shared about the city’s economic development. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Norwegian Ambassador shared that, in recent years, Norwegian Embassy in Viet Nam has collaborated with the United Nations’ Development Program (UNDP) to support Viet Nam Government in consolidating and implementing the marine spatial planning, for the purpose of ocean sustainable, based on economic diversification potentials and climate change mitigation and adaptation, including marine renewable energy, offshore wind energy, marine agriculture aligned with marine environmental protection requirements.
Attending the meeting were Ms. Anita H. Holgersen, Vietnam Representative Director of Equinor, and representatives of Petrolimex Viet Nam (PVN), and Dinh Vu Petrolimex Service Port Joint Stock Company (PTSC). Continuing the speech of the Ambassador, Viet Nam Representative Director of Equinor shared about financial competence and experiences in developing offshore wind power projects. Originating from a gas and oil production company, aware of the important roles of renewable energies, new energies in sustainable economic development, Equinor has gradually turned into energy field, sharing experiences gained from offshore wind energy development project in the Britain, experiences on working with residential community, developing supportive sectors for offshore wind, create jobs, improve quality of local citizens, attract the youth’s attention on offshore wind energy, etc. It will be expensive to start a project, however, in the long run, Equinor will deliver many benefits from offshore wind energy industry to the socio-economic development of localities, residential communities, and general development of the country. Equinor also updated information regarding application for permission of survey the offshore site of the city to the Department of Sea and Islands Management of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Equinor would like to receive support from Hai Phong City’s authority in coming time when Equinor and PVN carry out the research, survey based on permission of relevant Ministries and agencies.
The Chairman gave a souvenir to the Norwegian Ambassador to Viet Nam. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs
Acknowledging the interest of Equinor in particular, and of Norway in general in regards of developing renewable energies, new energies, specifically offshore wind energy, Chairman of the City People’s Committee shared information on attentions of domestic and foreign enterprises to cooperate with Hai Phong City in offshore wind development. Responding to Equinor’s comments, Chairman of the City People’s Committee expressed the city’s support for participation of foreign enterprises with finance capacity and extensive experience in offshore wind energy development. In addition, the Chairman suggested Norway pay attention to and support Hai Phong City in implementing the goals of marine economics development and plastic waste reduction at sea.
The city’s leaders took a photo with the Norwegian Embassy delegation.
Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs
To wrap up the meeting, the both sides wish to have opportunities to work and to implement cooperation activities not only in renewable energy (including offshore wind energy) but also other fields for mutual interest and development./.