General Secretary and President To Lam meets AtkinsRéalis President and CEO Ian L. Edwards. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  

Receiving Ian L. Edwards, President and CEO of AtkinsRéalis, General Secretary and President Lam said Vietnam has recognised the group’s capabilities in engineering, project management and nuclear technology, as well as its proposal for comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam in the nuclear power sector.

He said Vietnam is interested in finding partners that can accompany the country over the long term throughout its nuclear power programme, stressing safety is Vietnam’s highest and non-negotiable principle.

Therefore, the leader stressed, the selection of technology and partners will be carefully and objectively considered based on the maturity of the technology, safety, economic efficiency, financial capacity, implementation schedule, technology transfer, human resource development and Vietnam’s long-term interests.

General Secretary and President Lam said Vietnam pays particular attention to several issues: the technology must be safe, mature and practically deployable; it must be accompanied by a feasible financing and implementation model; and investment must help build Vietnam’s long-term nuclear capabilities.

Appreciating AtkinsRéalis’ proposal on technology transfer, localisation and human resource development, the General Secretary and President asked the company to provide greater clarity on what capabilities could be transferred over the next 10–20 years, to what extent Vietnamese businesses could participate, and which stages of the nuclear value chain Vietnam could gradually take on.

For his part, Edwards briefed the Vietnamese leader on the group’s operations, saying AtkinsRéalis’ development strategy focuses on sustainable infrastructure, clean energy, advanced nuclear technology, digital solutions and global project delivery capabilities.

He said the group is interested in opportunities in Vietnam in engineering services, nuclear technology, infrastructure, energy, transport, environmental services, project management and consulting, with its current proposal focusing on cooperation in the nuclear power sector.

At a meeting with Alexandre Prevost, President of Civil Aviation at technology company CAE, General Secretary and President Lam spoke highly of CAE’s long-standing cooperation with Vietnam’s aviation sector, particularly in flight training and simulation, stressing that the current cooperation foundation has enabled the two sides to set a higher goal.

Vietnam hopes CAE will work with the country to develop internationally recognised capabilities in aviation training, simulation and safety, gradually serving the regional market as well, the leader said.

He said Vietnam’s aviation sector is expanding in terms of its aircraft fleet, airports and demand for services, requiring human resources, training capacity and safety capabilities to stay ahead of growth.

CAE already has facilities and partners in Vietnam, and the time is now right to move from cooperation involving individual airlines, equipment and training courses to a larger-scale platform, the leader went on.

 General Secretary and President Lam expressed his hope that CAE would consider making Vietnam one of its key training and simulation hubs in Southeast Asia, serving Vietnamese airlines while also attracting trainees and customers from across the region.

Prevost introduced Canada’s capabilities in aviation training and simulation, saying CAE is promoting commercial cooperation with several Vietnamese businesses. Prevost expressed his hope that CAE would expand its cooperation in Vietnam in the training of pilots, cabin crew, maintenance technicians and air traffic controllers; and enhance simulation, digital learning and aviation safety capabilities through phased partnerships in Vietnam, with a view to serving both domestic and regional demand.

The General Secretary and President asked CAE to work with Vietnamese partners to develop a roadmap for expanding training capacity in Vietnam and help the country gradually master the technology, while sharing expertise and technology to support air traffic controller training and enhance capabilities in simulation, risk management and operational safety. The ultimate goal, he said, is to strengthen the capacity of Vietnam’s entire aviation system.

Vietnam stands ready to facilitate high-quality training and technology programmes with a long-term vision, he pledged, adding Vietnamese agencies and businesses will coordinate to connect CAE with airlines, training institutions, air navigation service providers and other suitable partners, while continuing to raise training and management standards in line with international practices.

Meeting Toshiyuki Onuma, President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council, General Secretary and President Lam spoke highly of the importance and contributions of the ICAO in guiding the global civil aviation sector through challenges and shaping a sustainable aviation standards system capable of meeting the development needs of the global aviation industry.

He emphasised that Vietnam always attaches importance to its relations with ICAO. As a responsible member, Vietnam wishes to make active contributions to ICAO’s activities and participate in shaping new rules and standards on security, safety, air navigation, the environment, sustainable aviation, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), emissions reduction, digital transformation, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) management, among other areas.

Onuma gave an overview of ICAO’s activities and its support for Vietnam’s civil aviation sector in recent years, affirming that with the joint efforts of its 193 member states, international civil aviation will serve as a bridge of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, bringing opportunities and prosperity to people in all countries.

General Secretary and President Lam said Vietnam’s aviation sector has grown strongly in recent years, and that the country is focusing on developing its airport infrastructure system, including key airports, with the goal of making Vietnam a regional hub for passenger and cargo transit.

Therefore, Vietnam has a growing need to enhance its capabilities and adopt modern and sustainable management and operational technologies.

The leader called on the two sides to step up cooperation, with ICAO continuing to provide technical assistance, strengthen safety oversight capacity, and ensure compliance with ICAO regulations and standards on aviation security and safety; facilitate a stronger Vietnamese presence at ICAO and enable Vietnam to participate effectively and substantively in international multilateral mechanisms and initiatives on aviation, such as the ICAO Global Coalition for Sustainable Aviation./.