Việt Nam, UNESCO enhance cooperation in natural sciences, culture, education

Chief Representative of UNESCO in Vietnam Jonathan Baker.  VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Trần Hồng Thái 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 Việt Nam in the context that Việt Nam 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 Việt Nam’s legal corridor on science and technology has been increasingly improved, creating favourable conditions for research and innovation activities, Thai said that in 2021, Việt Nam passed some important documents, including a national strategy on research, development, and application of artificial intelligence (AI) until 2030.

Thai believed that the Việt Nam  – UNESCO cooperation on science and technology will contribute to realising Việt Nam ‘s socio-economic development goals as well as proactively promoting cooperation and international integration on science, technology, and innovation.

Promoting Việt Nam ’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 Việt Nam , will further promote cooperative relations between Việt Nam  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 Việt Nam  and provide it with recommendations on ethics in AI and integrity in research. – VNS