In 1974 Sweden began its largest development cooperation
project – the Bai Bang paper mill project in Vietnam. Recently the project reached its 30th
anniversary and was celebrated on November 26th by prominent
participants such as the Vice Minister of Industry and Trade, Mrs Ho Thi Kim
Thoa, representatives from the paper mill and local politicians.
Swedish news media and a number of Swedes that used to work
at Bai Bang had also travelled to Vietnam for the occasion.
The celebration started off with a music and dance
performance illustrating the history of the paper mill. The Swedish Ambassador Camilla Mellander
gave a speech in which she highlighted that Bai Bang has played a significant
role in the friendship between Sweden and Vietnam. It is the largest Swedish
development cooperation project to this date and in retrospect we can say that
it has been a very successful one. Ms. Mellander said that the Bai Bang project has
contributed to knowledge transfer in a concrete manner and thus also
contributed to the development of the Vietnamese industry and the economic
growth in Vietnam.
Bai Bang now supplies a large share of the paper that is
consumed in Vietnam and approximately 20% of the paper produced is exported to
Japan, Thailand, the U.S. and the Philippines among others.
