Ambassador Iain Frew: Promising potential in UK-HCMC in green cooperation

UK Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew shared with The World & Vietnam Report about potential cooperation between UK and HCMC. (Photo: Ben Thanh)

How is UK expertise relevant to HCMC’s green growth and sustainable development?

First to say, I am delighted to be here at this city economic forum. I think it is a really meaningful event for the sustainable development of our economies. I am particularly delighted that we are here during the time when we celebrating the 50th anniversary of the UK-Vietnam relations. For me, this is the moment where we are marking to collaboration we have made between the UK and HCMC and looking at how we can build on that collaboration in the future.

I think UK expertise can play an important role in that economic development in a sustainable way. Sustainability is at the heart of what we are working on here in Vietnam, with the Government of HCMC and businesses. That builds on the commitment that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made on reaching net zero by 2050 in the COP26 summit in Glasgow in 2021. We are working together to help achieve that ambitious goal, including through our Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) to support that green transition. I am delighted that HCMC is also committed to net zero by 2050. That is something we are supporting through our works on energy transition and businesses to help reduce carbon emission.

Could you suggest some areas for collaboration between UK and HCMC in green development?

As we are celebrating our 50 years relations, there is a number of areas that we have picked out as high priorities in our collaboration with HCMC and we are making good progress. Our focus is supporting the sustainable development of HCMC and Vietnam’s next stage of economic development as a whole.

First and foremost, we are working closely together on financial services. This is an area that HCMC is already strong, but developing a financial center is something where UK expertise and collaboration is very promising, given London's position as an international financial center. We are also connecting the cities of UK and HCMC's authorities to develop our plan of support in the area.

We are also working together toward the future of healthcare and life science. This is an area where there are some important British companies and investors already active here in Vietnam. However, I believe that there is a huge potential to build a healthcare, life scientists’ hubs here in HCMC.

At last, we work really closely together in education. This is such an important area for both of our countries. UK universities and schools are very active here in Vietnam as well as the British Council. When I was invited to HCMC earlier this year, I was delighted to hear that we had the best international education fair.

All of these areas are really important in the work we are doing together. We are looking forward to building a sustainable economic future for both of our country for the next 50 years.

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