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EU to support Vietnam's sustainable energy development

Xinhua, April 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) plans to offer 346 million euros (nearly 370 million U.S. dollars) worth of non-refundable aid to support Vietnam in sustainable energy development during 2014-2020 period, said Franz Jessen, EU ambassador to Vietnam on Wednesday.

Ambassador Jessen, head of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Vietnam, made the announcement at an inception workshop on EU support to the development of sustainable energy in Vietnam co- held by the EU and the country's Ministry of Industry and Trade ( MoIT) in Hanoi on Wednesday.

Hoang Quoc Vuong, MoIT's deputy minister, told the workshop that despite being an energy exporting country now, Vietnam is forecast to have to import some 35 percent of its energy sources by 2020 to meet demand of economic development, reported Vietnam Plus, an online edition of the state-run news agency VNA on Wednesday. "Vietnam needs support to improve strategic planning for development of energy sector, build a competitive energy market, increase proportion of clean energy sources for a goal of economical and effective use of energy,"said Vuong.

According to the EU, among 400-million-Euro non-refundable aid for Vietnam during 2014-2020 period, some 86 percent of which will be distributed to sustainable energy development with three main goals including effective energy production and consumption, increasing proportion of clean and renewable energy sources, and all citizens' access to reliable and sustainable energy services.

The rest 14 percent of EU's non-refundable aid during the period aims to increase capacity of public governance and the rule of law in Vietnam.

During 2007-2014 period, EU's assistance for Vietnam mainly focused on development of healthcare, trade, law and tourism among others, reported Vietnam Plus.

The year 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the relations between Vietnam and the EU. Two sides signed Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in 2012, according to the EU Delegation's website. Endi