At the meeting, VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga welcomed Ambassador Shawn Steil to take up his new position. Taking into consideration that the Covid-19 pandemic has been controlled and the two countries are heading toward the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment (1973-2023), and five years of establishing a comprehensive partnership (2017-2022), Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga expressed her belief that ambassador Shawn Steil will be a bridge to promoting the growing relationship between Vietnam and Canada in various fields.
Ambassador Shawn Steil expressed his impression of Vietnam's dynamic development. The Canadian ambassador emphasized the important role of VUFO and the Vietnam - Canada Friendship Association in further enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples, which is an important foundation for practical and effective cooperation between the two countries in the near future.
President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Nguyen Phuong Nga received the newly-appointed Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Steil in Hanoi on August 19. (Photo: Valerie Mai)
The two sides agreed to step up coordination in organizing people-to-people exchange activities, especially in the fields of culture, art, and sports, contributing to consolidating the friendship between Vietnam and Canada.
Ambassador Shawn Steil presented his credentials to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 26, 2022. Before becoming the Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam, Steil served as the Canadian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan. He has also served as Consul General of Canada in Chongqing, China.
Long Pham / Thoidai
