Vietnam and Denmark have signed an agreement to extend their research cooperation programme by three years from 2011-2013.

The agreement was inked by Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Viet Thanh and Danish Ambassador to Vietnam John Nielsen in Hanoi on March 9.

The new phase of the programme will focus on the application of science and technology in climate change research, especially in minimising adverse impacts of climate change on Vietnam, one of the countries hardest hit by the phenomenon.

In this programme, Vietnamese scientists will implement the project and they will select Danish partners for mutual cooperation.

Denmark pledged to provide 45 million Danish krone (8 million USD) for the new phase, including 2.7 million USD in 2011.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister Thanh highly valued Denmark ’s support for research activities in Vietnam , expressing his belief that the new phase will bring about more cooperation opportunities for the two countries’ researchers.

The Danish Ambassador said he was pleased with the results of the programme and stressed that extension of the programme reaffirms the close cooperation between Vietnam and Denmark /.