The book A lasting legacy: 30 years of development cooperation between Canada and Vietnam was launched on January 9 by Canadian International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen and the Canadian Embassy in Hanoi.

According to Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Steil, Canada's official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam, which began in 1990, has made an important contribution to the long-term partnership between the two countries. Over the past three decades, Canadian-supported projects have significantly advanced efforts to build a state governed by policy and legal norms and to industrialize and modernize the country.

Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen reviews Canada's partnership with Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the Embassy

In addition, the assistance has helped boost the economy, improve livelihoods, and build people-to-people and institutional ties, the minister said.

The book, published in three languages (Vietnamese, English, and French), highlights the benefits of the growing relationship between Vietnam and Canada and helps build a legacy of sustainable bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Canada.

Readers can better understand the 50-year history of Vietnam-Canada diplomatic relations (August 21, 1973 - August 21, 2023) and cooperation between the two countries through the following timelines: 1993-1999: Investing in the Future; 2000-2003: Focus on Livelihoods; 2004-2009: Gaining Traction; 2010-2014: Maintaining Key Partnerships; 2015-2022: Promoting Gender Equality and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The book is printed in Vietnamese, English and French. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times

This publication was launched on the occasion of the visit of the Canadian Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, to Vietnam. This is his first trip to Asia since his appointment in July 2023.

Minister Ahmed Hussen believes that the relationship between the two countries will continue to deepen in the coming period. He said that the Government of Canada is committed to investing US$30 million to support Vietnam's development objectives, focusing on six priority areas: improving the economic well-being of vulnerable groups; supporting gender-responsive and climate-smart infrastructure through public-private partnerships; building the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities; improving the welfare of ethnic women in agriculture; empowering disadvantaged rural women; and improving climate governance through high-quality, inclusive, gender-responsive forestry carbon projects.

He emphasized that Canada focuses on areas of shared goals, such as gender equality, inclusion of diversity, and environmental protection.