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| Ambassador Deirdre Ní Fhallúin speaking at the Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA) Asian Youth Championships in Hanoi, November 2023. (Source: Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam) |
Vietnam and Ireland established diplomatic relations in 1996. According to the Ambassador, what are the positive highlights in the relationship between the two countries over the past nearly three decades?
I believe that our shared historical perspectives and the parallel development trajectories of our two countries have underpinned a warm and friendly bilateral relationship. Since the Irish Embassy in Hanoi opened in 2005, we have had a strong focus on supporting Vietnam’s development and this remains a core part of our work.
At the same time, as Vietnam moves closer to upper middle-income status and plays an increasingly active role in international affairs, our relationship is developing a more strategic focus. The State visit of the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, to Vietnam in 2016 marked a new milestone in our relationship. I hope that the visit of the President of Vietnam to Ireland can take place during my term as Ambassador.
What is the Ambassador's impression of Vietnam's recent economic and social development?
The speed and scale of Vietnam’s development is impressive. Since arriving here last summer, I have been impressed by the dynamism and energy of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam’s success in spreading the benefits of social development and reducing poverty is truly remarkable.
Ireland was one of the poorest countries in Europe for much of the 20th century and we have experienced rapid, transformative economic growth in recent decades, underpinned by successful education policies. I see similar opportunities for Vietnam, with its young, ambitious and talented population.
As Ambassador, I had the pleasure of meeting a number of Vietnamese alumni of Irish universities and it is clear that young people are the driving force for Vietnam's continued success in the years to come.
The Vietnam - European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has been in effect for more than three years (since August 2020), bringing positive impacts on trade cooperation between the two sides. How do you evaluate the effectiveness of the Agreement on import and export between the two countries?
Bilateral trade is an area where the Embassy will focus more strongly in the coming years. The historic EVFTA agreement offers huge potential for our trade in goods and services, however, this potential has not yet been fully realised in the case of Ireland.
My top priority as Ambassador is to raise the level of activity and support for Irish companies and businesses that see opportunities for trade and manufacturing with Vietnam. I hope to see growth in the coming period, particularly in the food and beverage sector, as Ireland is known as a reputable producer of high quality, sustainable products from dairy and beef to seafood and whisky.
What advice does the Ambassador have for Vietnamese businesses wanting to invest and do business in Ireland in particular and the EU in general?
Ireland is one of the world’s leading countries for attracting foreign direct investment and is home to many major pharmaceutical, medtech, IT and financial services companies. We have the youngest population in the EU and the highest proportion of STEM graduates per capita. These strengths ensure Ireland’s ability to recover and bounce back strongly from the pandemic and unprecedented global uncertainty and turmoil.
A stable, pro-business environment has been maintained through successive governments. Even with the global minimum tax coming into effect, we will continue to be a competitive and attractive location for international investment.
Every aspect of Ireland's competitiveness and attractiveness is underpinned by our membership of the EU and Eurozone, which gives us access to a market of 500 million consumers who play a central role in setting global standards for the world's high-growth industries.
Could the Ambassador share more about the development assistance projects funded by Ireland in localities of Vietnam in recent times?
As the relationship between our two countries continues to evolve in line with Vietnam’s approach to upper middle income status, Ireland remains a committed partner, with a core objective of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. This means that the projects we support are focused on rural communities with high levels of poverty, including ethnic minority communities. We continue to support our partners in their humanitarian mine action and in promoting good governance.
Additionally, we have a strong focus on higher education and sustainable agri-food – two areas where we believe that in addition to providing financial support, we can also share our expertise with our Vietnamese partners for mutual benefit.
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| (Source: Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam) |
What are Ireland's orientations and priorities for cooperation with Vietnam in the coming time? What plans does the Embassy have to realize these cooperation priorities?
The overall priorities of the Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam for the coming period are set out in our Mission Strategy 2023-2027 (which also covers Cambodia and Laos for which we have secondary accreditation from Hanoi). This framework sets out our priorities across the interlinked pillars of bilateral relations, development cooperation, consular services and diaspora engagement.
We are also focused on increasing visibility and understanding of Ireland in Vietnam, through both online and offline methods. Modern diplomacy requires us to be adept at communicating with a wide range of stakeholders and audiences, and to continue to seek innovative ways to share details of our work and activities through public diplomacy.
Tet Nguyen Dan is coming soon, is this the first time the Ambassador celebrates the traditional Lunar New Year of East Asia?
I was familiar with the Lunar New Year and its beautiful traditions from my previous work in China. I could feel the excitement rising throughout Hanoi as people prepared to welcome Spring.
As in Ireland, the festive season is a time for families to celebrate together and I am grateful to be spending it with my husband Paul and our three children this year. The start of a new year is also a time to reflect on the year that has passed and look forward to what is to come.
We are grateful for this wonderful opportunity to come to Vietnam and look forward to further opportunities to learn more about the country and its people in the future.
What are the Ambassador and his family's plans for celebrating Tet Giap Thin 2024?
The Irish Embassy will be closed for the Chinese New Year and so we will be spending time together as a family, with our lovely golden retriever Bobbie.
We hope to cycle around West Lake during the low traffic season and visit Tay Ho Temple on Dang Thai Mai Street. Of course, focusing on Tet cuisine is very important, we will be cooking and making a lot of cakes during these holidays.
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