Geneva (VNA)꧟ – Because of different but complementary advantages, Vietnam and Switzerland have a lot to win from working together, Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Ivo Sieber said in a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency.

He added that that is also why there is a strong willingness on both sides to now soon conclude the negotiations for a progressive Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. According to the diplomat, an FTA, integrating modern elements from recent FTAs concluded separately by bothVietnam and EFTA, would bolster the potential for increased bilateral economiccooperation, offering new export opportunities for businesses on both sides andfavoring foreign direct investments in Vietnam. The ambassador noted that with over 100 Swiss companies present and some 20, 000jobs created in Vietnam, Swiss direct investment in the Southeast Asian country currently amounts to over 2 billion USD, and there remains room for far more. Within ASEAN, Switzerlandranks as the 9th mostimportant foreign investor, and in Vietnam, it is at the 19th position.So, there is a major potential to be leveraged here, he said.

Sieber pointed to other areas of cooperation, including development, education, science and innovation. According to him, the Swiss Government continues to offerdevelopment cooperation grants; implementation of the SECO 2021-24 cooperationstrategy, supporting economic development in Vietnam, started this year. Also from 2021 on, theSwiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and Vietnam’s National Foundation forScience and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) for the first time jointly support10 teams of Swiss and Vietnamese researchers carrying out projects in a vastrange of disciplines, including environmental sciences, health sciences, the circulareconomy and other topics aimed at supporting innovation in both countries. As afollow-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow,Switzerland and Vietnam both want to implement their commitments and reach theirnet-zero carbon emissions targets on time.

Furthermore, Switzerland’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2023-2024 opens up possibilities for more joint work and cooperation towards strengthening multilateralism and the respect of international law, which are vital principles for Vietnam and Switzerland’s prosperity, the ambassador said.

Looking back at celebrations of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, the ambassador highlighted the two high-levelvisits which took place in both directions: first, the visit of Swiss Vice PresidentIgnazio Cassis to Hanoi in early August, and then the visit of President NguyenXuan Phuc to Berne in late November. “Suchvisits are extremely valuable; they allow decision-makers from our twocountries to further strengthen the friendship and trustful relation we shareand to exchange directly, with the aim of opening new paths for enhancedcooperation and putting aside obstacles”, he said. According to him, despite COVID-19 pandemic, anumber of activities celebrating the anniversary were held this year in the twocountries, including the “Vietnam Days” in Switzerland in October andillumination of Landmark 81 building in Ho Chi Minh City in August. He added that the inauguration and handover of the “Geneva ConferenceRoom”, a gift of the Swiss Government, to the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam inNovember, will stay as a reminder of this jubilee year and live on as a symbolof “Geneva spirit” aimed at fostering constructive problem-solving and peacefulinclusive discussions./.