UK pledges to promote COVID-19 vaccine delivery to Vietnam
The United Kingdom will continue to promote COVID-19 vaccine delivery to Vietnam through the COVAX Facility, Ambassador Gareth Ward assured Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi on September 30.
The Ambassador highly appreciated Vietnam’s COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, and firmly believed that Vietnam will flexibly adapt to and effectively control the COVID-19 pandemic to support economic recovery.
He revealed that the UK has contributed 10% of its vaccines to COVAX is committed to promoting vaccine delivery to Vietnam through this mechanism, while supporting medical equipment and developing the pharmaceutical industry.
The Ambassador expressed his delight at the positive development of the Vietnam - UK Strategic Partnership over the past 10 years, emphasizing that the British Government considers Vietnam an important partner in the region.
He highly appreciated the fruitful cooperation between the two countries at multilateral forums, and expressed his appreciation for Vietnam’s enthusiastic support, helping the UK become a full dialogue partner of ASEAN.
Ambassador Gareth Ward said he would coordinate with domestic agencies to encourage British businesses to expand investment in Vietnam to take full advantage of the potential and benefits from the UK-Vietnam free trade agreement (UKVFTA).
The UK is willing to cooperate with and help Vietnam transition to clean energy and access green finance to develop renewable energy projects, he told the Vietnamese PM.
The Ambassador also agreed with his host’s proposal to strengthen cooperation in education - training, public administration, affirming that the UK will continue to support Vietnam in training high-quality human resources, increase government scholarships for Vietnamese students, and strengthen joint research, teaching and digital transformation programs in education.
Appreciating the UK Government’s donation of 415,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for Vietnam, PM Chinh expected the two countries to continue stepping up medical cooperation. He proposed the UK further donate vaccines and medical equipment and consider transferring vaccine production technology and providing COVID-19 treatment drugs for Vietnam.
Regarding the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) hosted by the UK in November, PM Chinh stated that Vietnam supports and will cooperate closely with the UK to contribute to the success of the event.
The British Ambassador affirmed that the UK will cooperate closely with Vietnam and the international community to protect water sources and biodiversity and ensure livelihoods for people in the Mekong Delta.
On the East Sea issue, the British ambassador emphasised the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight, security, and peace in the East Sea as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
