HE. PHAM KHOI NGUYEN,

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

Over the past 40 years, Sweden has continuously provided support to Vietnam in various areas, particularly the natural resources and environment sector.

The most signifcant result of cooperation between the two countries in the natural resources and environment sector is the SEMLA programme, which has been implemented for fve years now with a total budget of 250 million SEK. SEMLA Programme is in fact the continuation of the previous two projects, i.e. the Cooperation Programme on Land Administration Reform (CPLAR) and the Project on Strengthening Environmental Management Authorities (SEMA).

SEMLA has assited in meeting the demands and needs of the country in an efcient and equitable way, by contributing to the establishment of the Natural Resource and Environmental Management system that supports economic growth and poverty alleviation, sustainable development and environmental protection, and strong local governance and participation of the population in decision making processes.

In the future, Swedish priorities for cooperation with Vietnam include environment and climate change. The cooperation between to countries will be shifted to a new height: partners driven cooperation. However, there must be appropriate mechanisms and arrangements set up for these priorities to be realised. MONRE is ready to participate in the new form of cooperation and will do it in a more proactive way and with more contribution, including fnance.

MONRE’s priorities for cooperation in the future will be policies and legislation at national level, piloting and replicating models at local levels, particularly training on management knowledge and skills for the NRE staf at all levels. Also, environmental management on a national scale, in land and at sea, responding to climate change will be important domains for cooperation between MONRE and Swedish partners and others.

Cooperation with our Swedish friends, the traditional and reliable partners, is always a priority and wish by MONRE.