General Secretary and President To Lam visits Ireland: A step forward in bilateral relations

Next week, General Secretary andPresident To Lam will pay a state visit to Ireland. VietNamNet interviewed Irish Ambassador to Vietnam Deirdre Ní Fhallúin.

General Secretary and President To Lam is about to pay a State visit to Ireland. Could you please assess the context of the relationship between the two countries and the significance of the visit?

In 2005, the Irish Embassy in Vietnam officially opened. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has become increasingly close and has been strengthened through many cooperation programs.

We focus on supporting ethnic minority communities in Vietnam; in our humanitarian mine action, we work with partners to clear land contaminated with mines and UXO, raise mine awareness in schools and support mine victims.

As Vietnam’s economy continues to grow impressively, Ireland and Vietnam have increased cooperation in agriculture, food, and higher education, with a focus on technical assistance and capacity building.

General Secretary and President To Lam. Photo: Hoang Ha

Irish President Michael D. Higgins visited Vietnam in 2016, leaving a deep impression on both countries. The visit was an important milestone in the relationship between the two countries.

We are delighted that General Secretary and President To Lam will soon pay a State visit to Ireland. The visit marks another important step forward and will be a milestone in the increasingly deepening relationship between the two countries.

Ireland has many areas of strength such as education and training, financial services, insurance, information technology, green technology, renewable energy, etc. How does the Ambassador assess the potential for cooperation between the two countries?

Ireland was not a developed country until recently, we have developed rapidly and experienced rapid economic growth.

Today, Ireland is often referred to as the “Silicon Valley of Europe”, known globally as a hub for pharmaceuticals, technology (Ireland is home to the European headquarters of many major tech companies such as Meta and Google) and high-quality education.

From our own development journey, we understand how important education is to the development of a country. We have supported Vietnamese students to study fully funded masters programs in Ireland under the Ireland Fellows Programme.

These students return to Vietnam with a lot of experience and become a bridge between the two countries.

The Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam is strengthening our collaboration with universities and research institutes in both countries to share experiences and build capacity in priority areas such as agriculture and agri-food. The Ireland-Vietnam Agri-Food Partnership Programme is a prime example of our strong collaboration in this area.

Ireland is a small island nation – we are also facing climate change. So we have to work together to address this challenge. We are helping rural areas in Vietnam to improve their resilience to climate change and expanding university collaboration and research in the areas of climate change and sustainability.

Irish Ambassador to Vietnam and UNICEF representative in Vietnam at the signing ceremony of the emergency funding agreement for response efforts following Typhoon Yagi. Photo: UNICEF Vietnam

Vietnam has just been severely affected by Typhoon Yagi, Ireland has donated 250,000 euros to support UNICEF in providing clean water and hygiene supplies to ensure the health of children and vulnerable families after the storm.

Expecting impressions after the visit of the General Secretary and President

Ireland is implementing the strategy “Global Ireland: Working in the Asia-Pacific region by 2025”. According to the Ambassador, what is Vietnam’s role in this strategy and how should the two sides work to further promote cooperation areas, especially potential areas?

Southeast Asia is becoming increasingly important both economically and politically. Ireland has increased its presence in the region with its Asia-Pacific Strategy.

A decade ago we had three Embassies in Southeast Asia, now we have double that number, with the latest Embassy in Manila (Philippines) opened a few years ago.

As an EU country, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement offers Ireland the opportunity to boost trade relations with Vietnam – as Vietnam continues its impressive economic growth.

The upcoming visit of General Secretary and President To Lam will be an opportunity for the two countries to continue promoting trade cooperation.

On the diplomatic front, Ireland and Vietnam share a common commitment to the multilateral system and the rules-based international order. Ireland looks forward to continuing to work with Vietnam in multilateral forums and international organisations, including the United Nations.

Our two countries also have a proud history of active participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

People-to-people exchanges play an important role in Ireland-Vietnam relations. Many Irish people have moved to Vietnam to live and work, especially in the education sector – they are great ambassadors.

Every year thousands of Irish people travel to Vietnam, it is estimated that in 2023 there will be about 23,000 Irish people coming to Vietnam.

We hope that the friendship and understanding between the two countries will be increasingly increased.

Irish President Michael Daniel Higgins visited Vietnam in 2016. It has been more than a year since the Ambassador arrived in Vietnam. Could you please tell us about the impressions of the President, the Irish people and the Ambassador himself about Vietnam?

As I mentioned above, President Michael Higgins’ visit to Vietnam in 2016 still left an impression on both countries. The President visited Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Tri and Ha Long and I know that he was very impressed by the beautiful countryside of Vietnam.

During his visit to Ireland in late February, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with President Michael Daniel Higgins. Photo: TG&VN Newspaper

As the President himself remarked during his visit, “although geographically we are quite far apart, Ireland and Vietnam share a history of oppression and the struggle for independence. There is something about this relationship that makes Irish people feel the same way when they think of Vietnam.”

We hope that General Secretary and President To Lam's upcoming visit will leave similar good impressions of Ireland after he concludes his visit.

Tens of thousands of Irish tourists visit Vietnam each year, attracted by its beautiful natural landscapes, vibrant cities, fascinating culture and history, and delicious cuisine. They take home fond memories of Vietnam.

For me, after more than a year as Irish Ambassador to Vietnam, what has impressed me most is the impressive speed and scale of development in Vietnam. Your country is dynamic and full of energy from its cities and talented young people.

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Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tong-bi-thu-chu-tich-nuoc-to-lam-tham-ireland-buoc-tien-trong-quan-he-hai-nuoc-2326911.html