Bulgarian Ministers support cooperation with Vietnam in human resources and health: Ambassador
WVR - On July 16-17, Vietnamese Ambassador to Bulgaria Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet met with Bulgarian Minister of Health Silvi Kirilov and Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov.
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| Bulgarian Minister of Health Silvi Kirilov and Ambassador Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet. |
This was part of a series of engagement activities with members of the Bulgarian Government following Ambassador Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet's formal assumption of duties.
At the meeting with Bulgarian Minister of Health Silvi Kirilov, Ambassador Minh Nguyet emphasized that Vietnam always treasures and remembers the valuable support—both material and spiritual—offered by the people of Bulgaria during the struggle for independence and national reunification, as well as in the cause of national construction and defense, particularly in the field of medical training and the development of healthcare professionals.
In 2022, Bulgaria supported Lai Chau province in implementing the "Survive to Thrive" project, worth USD 36,000, at two district-level hospitals in remote areas. The project contributed to reducing neonatal mortality and improving the capacity of local medical staff.
At the meeting, Ambassador Minh Nguyet proposed several directions for future cooperation, such as: training and capacity building for Vietnam’s healthcare sector; joint research and information/experience sharing in the production of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and traditional medicine; and promoting digital transformation in healthcare.
Minister of Health Silvi Kirilov said he once had Vietnamese classmates and expressed deep admiration for the friendliness, diligence, and resilience of the Vietnamese people. He also introduced several of Bulgaria’s recent notable healthcare achievements, including key reforms to improve public health through nutrition, enhanced early cancer detection capabilities, and the digitization of medical records.
According to Minister Silvi Kirilov, with a foundation of traditional cooperation, strong political will from high-level leaders, and current demands, Vietnam and Bulgaria have all the necessary momentum to strengthen collaboration across various sectors, including healthcare.
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| Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov and Ambassador Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet. |
In a separate meeting with Bulgarian Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov, Ambassador Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet highlighted the two countries' effective cooperation in human resource development, with more than 30,000 Vietnamese experts and skilled workers having been trained in Bulgaria. According to the Ambassador, now is a favorable time to revive and promote cooperation in this field.
The Ambassador noted that in recent high-level exchanges, human resource development has consistently been identified as a potential area of cooperation. She proposed several directions for partnership, including: strengthening dialogue between relevant authorities; reviewing and signing new cooperation documents; and encouraging investment and the exchange of skilled labour and experts between the two countries.
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| The two sides assessed that Vietnam and Bulgaria have favourable conditions to restore human resource cooperation. |
Expressing his admiration for Vietnam’s economic achievements during his recent visit accompanying Bulgarian National Assembly President Rosen Zhelyazkov to Vietnam (January 2024), Minister Borislav Gutsanov affirmed that Vietnam is currently one of the most dynamic economies in Asia.
Minister Borislav Gutsanov emphasized that the friendship and sincerity in Bulgaria–Vietnam relations are "rare" in the world.
Agreeing with the Ambassador’s view that the two countries had effectively cooperated in human resource development during the 1970s and 1980s, but that the current number of Vietnamese workers in Bulgaria remains limited, Minister Borislav Gutsanov noted that Bulgaria currently has a high demand for labor in many sectors and wishes to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in this area.
Additionally, the Minister suggested that both sides focus on cooperation in the exchange of experts and investment in developing high-quality human resources.
