The Danish government today announced $135 million in official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam to focus on green growth in 2011-2012.
According to the statement released by Danish embassy in Hanoi, in the coming years Denmark will have strong focus on green growth, including clean water, energy efficiency, research, climate change adaptation.
Funding will be provided for improving the quality and access to drinking water for poor households at the same time reducing the loss of water.
Research will be undertaken related to climate change topics. Denmark will continue funding the National Target Programme on Climate Change and possibilities as regards wind energy will be pursued.
The ODA funding will be combined with transferring high quality, cost-effective and environmental-friendly technologies from Danish companies to their Vietnamese partners within waste management, solar energy and wind power.
During the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in November, green growth will be a focus area for ODA activities and commercial activities alike.
“It is important for Denmark to ensure that green growth is increasingly linked to sustainable development but also as a business opportunity,” said Danish ambassador John Nielsen.
“The Global Green Forum in Copenhagen last week has emphasized the need for establishing private – public partnerships to cope with the challenges of climate change and increase energy efficiency. Denmark will focus its ODA in Vietnam even more on meeting these challenges, while at the same time establishing commercial partnerships between Danish and Vietnamese companies,” Nielsen added.
Denmark has since 1993 been a key ODA partner for Vietnam, providing more than $1.2 billion in ODA. Support has been provided within many sectors, such as agriculture, water and sanitation, fisheries, environment, justice sector, private business development and many others.
Over the next years Denmark will continue to prioritise support to the governance area. Focus will be on judicial and legal reform, parliamentary strengthening, public administrative reform, the fight against corruption and strengthening of civil organisation.
Denmark will in the coming years continue its strong support to the development of culture. The interchange of performers and artists between the two countries will be prioritised as will be support for contemporary art. More than $3 million will be provided for culture on a yearly basis until 2015.
