Vietnam’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Trinh Thi Tam, has expressed Hanoi’s willingness to support investment and economic development in the Northern Province, stating that Vietnam “clearly understands the challenges” faced by a region still struggling to recover from decades of war.
The Ambassador made the remarks during a meeting on Monday at the Governor’s Secretariat in Jaffna, where she led a Vietnamese delegation for discussions with Northern Province Governor N. Vethanayagan and senior provincial officials.
Governor Vethanayagan opened the meeting by noting that Vietnam’s rapid post-war reconstruction offers important lessons for the North. Despite sixteen years having passed since the end of the armed conflict, he said, the region has yet to see the emergence of large-scale industries. Farmers and fishermen still struggle to convert primary produce into value-added goods due to the absence of manufacturing facilities, while rural infrastructure remains underdeveloped.
The Northern Province Chief Secretary added that tourism remains a key priority for the administration, though the sector is still in its early stages.
Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam said Vietnam, having itself endured the destruction of war, is prepared to extend incentives to encourage Vietnamese investors to enter the Northern Province. She highlighted Vietnam’s experience in export-oriented agriculture and expressed willingness to share expertise with the region. She also offered technical cooperation in other sectors and proposed inviting Northern Province officials to Vietnam for experience-sharing programmes.
The Ambassador said she would convey to Vietnamese companies the investment opportunities raised during the meeting and encourage them to explore possibilities in the North. She noted that an increasing number of Vietnamese nationals are travelling to Sri Lanka and said she would work to promote the Northern Province as a tourism destination.
Emphasising that investors prioritise efficiency, she stressed the importance of improving domestic air services between Colombo and Jaffna. She also expressed Vietnam’s interest in establishing direct cooperative frameworks between Vietnamese provinces and the Northern Province.
Officials present at the meeting included the Northern Province Chief Secretary, the Governor’s Secretary, and the Secretaries of the Education, Agriculture, Local Government and Health Ministries, as well as the Deputy Chief Secretary for Planning.
