Hanoi (VNA) – A Vietnam – UK economy and trade forumtook place in Hanoi on October 21, discussing the nations’ economic,trade and investment ties as well as the issues of climate change andlow-carbon economy.

The event was co-organised by the Vietnam National University,Hanoi – University of Economics and Business (VNU-UEB), the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment’s Department of Climate Change, and the Center forInternational Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF).

According to VNU-UEB Rector Nguyen Truc Le, the forum aimed atconnecting Vietnamese and UK partners in trade, services and investment, and atpromoting the sides’ bilateral cooperation in education, training, andscience-technology.

Presentations at the forum focused on some key features of the UK-Vietnam FreeTrade Agreement (UKVFTA); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bilateraltrade; policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions towards a low-carbon economyin Vietnam; and the potential, opportunities, and challenges for the developmentof a forest carbon market, among other matters.

The event also opened up new collaboration in research betweenuniversities under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and researchagencies, development organizations, and state management agencies of Vietnamand the UK. Such collaboration will contribute to solving major issues ofsustainable socio-economic growth and climate change response of the sidesinvolved.

At the forum, the VNU-UEB introduced its publication on the Vietnam– UK economic and commercial relations toward a low-carbon economy andsustainable development./.