(CPV) The main areas of cooperation between Sweden and Vietnam in the coming years are democracy and human rights, anti-corruption, environment and climate change, the Swedish Embassy in Hanoi reported.

These areas have been highlighted in a new agreement on development cooperation between Sweden and Vietnam which was signed in Hanoi on October 6 by the Director General of the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), Mr Anders Nordström and the Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh.

The agreement aims to promote enhanced democratic governance and increased respect for human rights, and environmentally sustainable development in Vietnam.

The agreement also stipulates that during the phasing out period, selective cooperation will be introduced as a bridge between the regular development cooperation and other broader, more equal relations based on mutual interests between stakeholders in the two countries.

One of the purposes of the selective cooperation, where partner-driven cooperation is to form the major part, is thus to strengthen relations between stakeholders in the two countries that could be sustained beyond development cooperation support. Catalytic development cooperation funds will be used to promote such relations during the phasing out period.

Under the agreement, the Government of Sweden commits a non-refundable assistance worth at least 250 million Swedish kronor (roughly USD 30 million) for development cooperation between Sweden and Vietnam during 2009 – 2011.