President of the VUFO Nguyen Phuong Nga (R) presents the insignia to out-going Canadian Ambassador Deborah Paul.
The VUFO noble award aims to recognize and honor the precious contributions of the ambassador to reinforcing and increasing the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking at the ceremony, VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga said that Ambassador Deborah Paul's term in Vietnam was a period of many important events in the relationship between Vietnam and Canada, especially the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2018, marking the good and sustainable development of Vietnam - Canada relations.
According to Ms Nga, Ambassador Deborah Paul played an important role in coordinating high-level contacts, phone calls and exchanging letters between the two countries’ leaders, and advocated for support of Vietnam’s role at regional and international forums, especially when Vietnam assumed the position of ASEAN Chair 2020, non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and Vietnam's stance in dealing with disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means, on the basis of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Ambassador Deborah Paul also made many contributions to promoting cooperation between Vietnam and Canada in all fields, from politics-diplomacy to economy, trade, security-defence, health care, education- training, humanitarian aid, cultural exchange, and people-to-people exchange.
Up to now, the two countries have effectively implemented the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the economic-trade relationship between Vietnam and Canada has recorded many impressive results. Vietnam is currently Canada's largest trading partner in ASEAN. Canada also has many practical activities to support Vietnam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Receiving the noble insignia, Ambassador Deborah Paul shared her feeling that she had a wonderful time living and working in the beautiful country of Vietnam, and pledged that, with good feelings for Vietnam, she will always foster the growing friendship between the two peoples of Canada and Vietnam./.