Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here today and to officially open this Energy Efficiency Conference.

Firstly, let me say how pleased I am to be back in Vietnam.

In 2009, The Crown Prince and I joined Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Henrik on their State Visit to this beautiful country. I recall clearly how warmly we were received and my meeting with a dynamic, contrast-full and forward-looking country. A country with great potential. A country with a promising future.

Since then, Vietnam has more than delivered on that promise. The country has an impressive economic trajectory, and even in the face of two years of hardship – because of the pandemic - Vietnam’s economy has still managed to grow. 

This continuous growth means that energy is high in demand – and the demand can only be expected to increase in the coming years.

At the same time, we are in the middle of a global energy crisis. Energy prices are surging throughout the world, causing inflation and great economic uncertainty. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we accelerate towards a greener and more energy efficient future together.  

Since 2013, the Denmark-Vietnam Energy Partnership Programme has supported energy efficiency in the industrial sector.

Along with the commitments of Vietnam to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, a strong potential remains for deepening our Danish-Vietnamese cooperation on both renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In Denmark, we have successfully managed to transform our energy sector. Decades of focus and investment particularly in renewable energy, but also in energy efficient technologies and solutions has reduced our dependence on imports of fossil fuels significantly. This is true also for energy intensive industries like cement and food production.

In fact, Denmark’s focus on energy efficiency has for a long time been an important priority for Danish companies – one could argue that it has become part of their DNA. We are fortunate to have with us today, companies that represent exactly this. Companies that are true global frontrunners when it comes to energy efficiency – they are shining examples of how to run a company in an energy efficient manner.

This visit is an outstanding opportunity to share knowledge, expertise and experience. With the impressive economic progress of Vietnam and Danish expertise in renewables and energy efficiency, we have much to gain from partnering with one another.  

From a Danish perspective, it’s also an outstanding opportunity to gain a greater understanding and insight into Vietnam’s policies, challenges, incentives and recent market news when it comes to investing in the green transition, in the fast-growing economy of Vietnam. Hopefully, new partnerships will be formed, and new solutions designed.

Together, we can create a greener future for coming generations.

Thank you.

(Det talte ord gælder)