Ninh Binh delegation visits Norway to explore cooperation in blue, sustainable economic development

During the visit, the delegation had a working session with the Vietnamese Embassy in Norway. The delegation was received by Ambassador Le Thi Thu.

At the meeting, Lua briefed the ambassador and embassy officials on Ninh Binh’s development orientations, highlighting the province’s focus on green and sustainable growth in areas such as modern industry, high-quality tourism services, heritage economy, marine economy and green urban development.

Through the visit, Ninh Binh hopes to learn from Norway’s development experience, gain a better understanding of market demand and identify potential partners for cooperation, she said.

Lua called on the Vietnamese Embassy to continue supporting Ninh Binh in exploring cooperation opportunities with Norwegian localities, agencies, associations and businesses.

She also expressed the province’s desire to establish links with partners whose strengths align with its development priorities, particularly in sustainable marine economic development, renewable energy, heritage management and conservation associated with ecotourism, green industry, food processing and high-quality human resource training.

Welcoming the delegation to Norway, Thu provided an overview of the situation in the host country and identified areas in which Ninh Binh could promote bilateral cooperation.

She noted that marine economy is one of Norway’s strengths, particularly high-tech aquaculture and the development of green, sustainable and circular production solutions.

The Ambassador stressed that Norway imposes stringent requirements on environmental protection, production processes and product quality in the fisheries and food-processing sectors. Ninh Binh should therefore study relevant standards and provide guidance and support to local businesses to help them meet the necessary requirements when working with Norwegian partners.

She also suggested the province explore cooperation opportunities in technology, step up the promotion of Ninh Binh’s image and tourism products in the Norwegian market, and learn from Norway’s experience in developing ecotourism in conjunction with nature conservation, environmental protection and green tourism.

As part of the programme, the delegation held a working session with Innovation Norway, the country’s agency for trade, investment and tourism promotion.

Representatives of Innovation Norway introduced the agency’s functions, responsibilities, international network and business support programmes.

Lua spoke highly of Norway’s experience in building a startup ecosystem, helping businesses access clean technologies and adopting advanced environmental management standards.

She expressed her hope that Innovation Norway would share its experience in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in innovation, digital transformation, circular economy development and low-emission production.

The two sides exchanged views on technological solutions for renewable energy, sustainable marine economic development and green financing mechanisms that could be considered for application in Ninh Binh’s industrial parks and clusters.

In addition, Ninh Binh sought Innovation Norway’s assistance in connecting the province with Norwegian clean technology corporations and businesses, enabling local enterprises to learn about and gain access to Nordic technical standards. The province also expressed interest in sharing experience in the management and development of sustainable ecotourism.

At the meeting, the two sides exchanged experience in supporting business innovation, green transition, marine economic development and sustainable tourism, while exploring opportunities to establish connections between suitable business partners.

During the visit, the Ninh Binh delegation also met with Østensjøvannet Venner, a community organisation supporting the conservation and management of the Østensjøvannet area.

During the visit, the Ninh Binh delegation also met with Østensjøvannet Venner, a community organisation supporting the conservation and management of the Østensjøvannet area.

The organisation works to protect Østensjøvannet Lake, its natural landscape and surrounding cultural values. In coordination with local management authorities, it mobilises volunteers to monitor and protect the ecosystem, maintain environmental cleanliness, observe nature and organise community education activities.

Speaking at the meeting, Lua said the practical experience shared by the organisation provided valuable reference material for Ninh Binh as it seeks to integrate tourism development with environmental protection, nature conservation and greater community participation.

Following the meeting, the delegation visited the Østensjøvannet nature reserve to observe conservation practices, learn about ecosystem and landscape protection, and explore how community engagement can contribute to nature conservation./.