Vietnam, UNESCO expand cooperation in natural sciences, culture, education

Hanoi, January 19 (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Hong Thai on January 18 had a working session with Chief Representative of UNESCO in Vietnam Jonathan Baker.

Thai congratulated Jonathan on starting his working term in Vietnam in the context that Vietnam and UNESCO have committed to promoting a deeper and more practical relationship by signing a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the 2021-2025 period signed during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit and working session with UNESCO in November 2021. The two sides pledged to expand cooperation in natural sciences, culture, and education.

Emphasising that Vietnam's legal corridor on science and technology has been increasingly improved, creating favourable conditions for research and innovation activities, Thai said that in 2021, Vietnam passed some important documents, including a national strategy on research, development, and application of artificial intelligence (AI) until 2030.

Thai believed that the Vietnam - UNESCO cooperation on science and technology will contribute to realising Vietnam's socio-economic development goals as well as proactively promoting cooperation and international integration on science, technology, and innovation.
Promoting Vietnam’s participation in the network of science and technology centres recognised and sponsored by UNESCO will create trust, enhance national prestige and position, and help Vietnamese science integrate deeply into the region and the world, he said.

The Deputy Minister expressed his belief that Baker, during his term in Vietnam, will further promote cooperative relations between Vietnam and UNESCO in areas, including natural sciences, oceanography, water security, biodiversity, water resource management, sustainable development, and climate change response.

For his part, Baker said that UNESCO is a leading multilateral organisation in making recommendations related to important, contemporary issues, including recommendations on ethics in AI.

He said UNESCO will support Vietnam and provide it with recommendations on ethics in AI and integrity in research./.