On the afternoon of August 6, at the Ministry of Justice headquarters, Justice Minister Nguyen Hai Ninh awarded the “For the Cause of Justice” medal to Mr. Keijo Norvanto, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Finland to Vietnam, in recognition of his significant contributions to fostering legal and judicial cooperation between the two nations.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Nguyen Hai Ninh commended the ambassador and the Finnish Embassy for their bridging role in strengthening friendship and promoting cooperation between the two ministries of justice. He emphasized that the ambassador and his colleagues had played a vital part in consolidating and advancing legal and judicial relations between Vietnam and Finland, thereby deepening the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

The minister noted that Vietnam is accelerating institutional reform, developing science and technology, fostering innovation, and advancing digital transformation - all of which rely on a strong legal foundation. He referenced the Politburo’s Resolution No. 66-NQ/TW, which sets the goal of establishing a democratic, cohesive, equitable, and transparent legal system by 2030, creating a solid legal framework for national development.

Highlighting the potential for further legal and judicial cooperation, the minister expressed hope that Ambassador Norvanto would continue to support the deepening of bilateral ties. He specifically called for an early negotiation and signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two ministries, aiming for a regular, substantive, and effective cooperation program. He also encouraged expanded collaboration with Finnish partners, particularly the Rule of Law Centre at the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Law.

Ambassador Norvanto thanked the Ministry of Justice for acknowledging his efforts and pledged to continue strengthening rule-of-law cooperation between Finland and Vietnam, with digital transformation as a key focus.

He expressed confidence that his successor would continue to elevate bilateral cooperation to new heights and expand academic and institutional partnerships between the two countries.

PV