Hanoi (VNA) – The European Union will help Vietnamachieve the goal of ensuring power access in rural, mountainous and islandareas through the Energy Sector Policy Support Programme using the EU’snon-refundable aid.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said during apolicy dialogue held in Hanoi on May 4 on the Programme that 99 percent ofVietnam’s population has been connected to the national grid. The VietnameseGovernment aims to provide the remaining 1 percent of population with access toelectricity by 2020.

The 108 million EUR programme aims to enhance sustainable accessto energy in Vietnamese rural, mountainous and island areas, while building amore sustainable energy sector via encouraging the efficient use of energy andthe consumption of clean and renewable energy.

Minister Tuan Anh affirmed that Vietnam is shifting to notonly clean energy but also a green economy.

Anh said Vietnam wants to receive technical support in connectingrenewable energy sources with the national grid, adding that the country isgiving priority to effective energy saving and switching to green economy, butmore drastic and synchronous actions are needed in the process.

The minister also asked for the EU’s assistance in effectivelyimplementing projects regarding high-capacity equipment market, energyservices, effective energy saving, smart grids and smart cities.

EU Delegation representatives said both sides need tofurther discuss issues such as legal framework, finance, action plans andhigh-quality workforce training to carry out joint plans.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, theVietnamese government commits to cutting 8 percent of greenhouse gas emission by2030. The reduction could be increased to 25 percent if the country receivessupport in the framework of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with internationalorganisations.-VNA