During the meeting, Chairman Nikolai Astrup stated that the EFTA delegation’s visit to Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City aimed to strengthen political trust, enhance cooperation, and accelerate the conclusion of the free trade agreement after more than a decade of negotiations.
Referring to Ho Chi Minh City’s development goals such as becoming a regional financial hub and a center for green, sustainable science and technology members of the EFTA delegation exchanged views and raised questions with city leaders about double-digit growth targets and green transition strategies. Astrup expressed hope that the free trade agreement, once signed, would further boost cooperation between the two sides.
HCMC Vice Chairman Bui Minh Thanh noted that despite global fluctuations directly affecting growth targets and the livelihoods of Vietnamese citizens, the Government of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City authorities had promptly implemented social security policies, stabilized prices, and sought alternative energy sources to safeguard supply chains.
On the city’s green transition strategy, he said Ho Chi Minh City plans to convert gasoline and diesel vehicles to electric ones, with the goal of achieving a fundamental shift to green transport by 2030. The city has allocated significant resources for this objective, while major infrastructure projects such as urban railways are being vigorously advanced to support the transition. He emphasized the need for stronger cooperation in areas where EFTA has strengths and Ho Chi Minh City has demand, including financial services, sustainable marine economy, green transition, and smart urban development.
He stressed that Ho Chi Minh City requires the experience and resources of advanced economies, including EFTA members Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The city leadership pledged to ensure a favorable investment environment and long-term protection of investors’ interests.
In 2025, trade turnover between Ho Chi Minh City and EFTA members reached more than US$2.2 billion; in the first quarter of 2026, it exceeded US$784 million. EFTA countries currently have 216 investment projects in Ho Chi Minh City with total capital of nearly US$700 million.
