Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass told the media that Prime Minister Chinh's participation is very meaningful because the WEF is a place where leaders of states and governments, captains of the private sector and representatives of academia and civil society, take a “time out” to reflect and search for solutions, hold each other accountable to common visions such as the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement, and encourage champions and early movers to take positive initiatives.

We desperately need to recommit to multilateralism and international rule of law. New and upgraded platforms are needed for dialogue and to build stronger partnerships, he said.

The Ambassador said that at an earlier WEF Event held in China in June last year, Prime Minister Chinh reminded that in the face of strong headwinds, the international community needs “.. to have global solidarity and multilateralism and a people-centred approach".

Vietnam can speak with confidence because it has made significant contributions to the resolution of a wide range of global issues and deserves full recognition from the international community for its efforts, he added.

Indeed, as an active member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Vietnam has played an important role in promoting regional stability and cooperation. Vietnam has also participated in peacekeeping operations around the world, including in South Sudan and the Central African Republic, Gass said.

Vietnam is playing a growing part, not only in the region but also beyond. In this context, and given Vietnam's goal of becoming a high-income, low-carbon country within 20 years, it is all the more important for Vietnam to demonstrate its willingness to maintain a continuous dialogue and share with the international community its approach, outlook and experience on integration into the global system and socio-economic development, the Swiss Ambassador said.