Norway is a long-standing shipping country and leading the greening trend in the global maritime sector. What are the opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in this field?

Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken

The Norwegian maritime cluster is considered one of the most comprehensive in the world, encompassing relevant stakeholders such as shipping lines, brokerage companies, insurance and financial services, shipyards, marine equipment manufacturers, non-governmental organisations, and lots more.

The country is also internationally renowned for its expertise and sustainable maritime solutions, and the entire maritime cluster system is working hard to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Vietnam and Norway are both members of the International Maritime Organization, and green maritime will soon open up opportunities for both countries and companies to work together and thus create jobs for local communities along our coasts.

We’ve seen so far very strong cooperation between Norway in the renewable energy sector, in solar and wind, and hopefully offshore wind in the future. We also see a lot of cooperation in relating to the circular economy. For example, about one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions come from the cement industry, but recycling tech and equipment are being put in place, with alternatives to coal as a fuel being utilised. We also see a lot of cooperation in sustainable agriculture and, in the past year, we’ve seen increasing interest from drug companies.

There is also strong cooperation in renewable energy, including solar and wind, and in sustainable agriculture. Norway is leading in marine spatial planning to balance environmental and industrial needs.

With all this, a collaborative approach involving government, industry, and research communities is emphasised for effective policymaking and action. Predictable regulatory frameworks are crucial for investment in renewable energy and grid integration, with a focus on domestic and international collaboration.

What can Vietnam learn from Norway about clean energy development models, especially offshore wind power and shipbuilding technology?

There’s a lot to gain from sharing experiences on specific technical solutions, for example, permanent models for how work can be carried out. Norway has been sharing experiences about supporting the development of marine spatial planning frameworks.

The bigger picture is pushing our green development, which takes a whole-of-government approach. So all ministries will be working together on strategies on how to take this forward.

Seeing different sectors work together, and adding to that very close collaboration between government, industry itself, and research communities, means you have a chance to continually upgrade knowledge for government to set the right policies for industries.

How should Vietnam reform its investment environment to engage and retain investors from Norway?

Vietnam’s remarkable success in development began with the economic reforms of the 1980s. Opening up to international trade and foreign investment, and encouraging the movement of capital and expertise from abroad, has brought many positive results.

The country has been very proactive in learning and researching global best practices to effectively apply domestically. Perhaps, the formula for upcoming reforms will be a new version of those iconic reforms, to continue to promote the factors that have created success so far. Investors want a favourable investment environment with a clear legal framework, which can help them make the necessary predictions.

In the energy sector, for example, we see that Vietnam’s legal framework has gradually improved. However, investors are still looking forward to more feasible regulations, such as mechanisms for connecting renewable energy to the national grid, or pricing mechanisms. We hope that these regulations will be issued soon. In addition, measures to ensure investment safety and legal protection for foreign investors are also significant.

Along with that is the need to simplify administrative procedures in establishing and operating businesses. Last but not least, the level and skills of the workforce are important. These are important contents that determine the attractiveness of the investment environment.

The event will provide Francophone businesses and investors looking to expand internationally with the opportunity to explore prospects in Benin and in the vast West African market.

The digital transformation sector, software outsourcing with the support of AI, and the implementation of electronic management solutions are promising fields in Benin. Photo: OIF

Three sectors with high potential for cooperation within the Francophone community include the processing industries for agricultural products such as cotton and textiles, cashew nuts, corn, and organic palm oil. The development of local value chains such as meat, poultry, aquaculture, and fishing is also drawing attention, while cultural and creative industries such as cinema, fashion, tourism, and events utilise Benin’s rich historical heritage.

Digital transformation, software outsourcing for enterprise performance management with the support of AI, and the implementation of electronic management solutions are also expected to attract investors.

At the event, Francophone businesses and investors will have the opportunity to connect with more than 200 local companies and around 100 partners from all Francophone regions in Africa, America, Asia, Europe, the Indian Ocean, and the Middle East. They will be given priority access to the local business and startup environment and receive valuable advice from experts specialising in international business development.

Photo: OIF

The mission will include tailored business-to-business meetings, high-level sectoral workshops, and company visits to maximise networking and investment opportunities.

Since 2022, the MEF has organised thousands of in-person and online meetings, resulting in dozens of business agreements with a cumulative estimated value of up to $16.3 million, creating significant leverage for the international expansion of Francophone enterprises.

TOKYO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CyberAgent, Inc. today has unveiled a new key visual and the character visuals for the television anime of up-and-coming award winning author Mokumokuren’s “The Summer Hikaru Died” (published by KADOKAWA, produced by CygamesPictures ).

New Key Visual

“The Summer Hikaru Died” is a hit horror manga series about an ordinary high school boy, Yoshiki, who experiences various mysterious incidents in his life with Hikaru, a mysterious being who imitates his best friend Hikaru Indou. The story of “whatever it is” and the boy’s madness has garnered significant attention, making it a must-see anime film.

Following the announcement of the anime adaptation in May 2024, there is considerable anticipation among fans in Japan and worldwide.

The animation will be directed by Ryohei Takeshita known as the director of “Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night” and CygamesPictures will be handling the animation production for the series.

The newly revealed key visual features the main characters, Yoshiki and Hikaru standing under an exceptionally clear blue sky in the setting of their hometown “Kubitachi Village”. An ominous figure known as “DORODORO” and Hikaru’s face is appearing on the back of Yoshiki. Additionally, the character visuals of Yoshiki and Hikaru has each been unveiled.

Starting the day after tomorrow on March 22nd, AnimeJapan 2025, one of the largest anime events in Japan, will be held at Tokyo Big Sight. “The Summer Hikaru Died” will appear at a special booth of KADOKAWA where visitors can experience the world of “The Summer Hikaru Died”. “The Summer Hikaru Died” will also appear on GREEN STAGE at March 22nd, and casts from the anime, Chiaki Kobayashi (Voice of Yoshiki Tsujinaka) and Shuichiro Umeda (Voice of Hikaru) will be speaking on stage. Please check the official AnimeJapan 2025 website for more details.（https://www.anime-japan.jp/en/）More information is also announced on the anime’s official X account.(https://x.com/hikaru_anime_en)

The Anime “The Summer Hikaru Died” will be available on Netflix worldwide in 2025. We will continue to provide additional details.