Sweden has committed SEK 6.5 million (approximately US $960,000) to support Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice's (MoJ) plan to raise the ethical and practicing standards of the nation's lawyers.

A financing agreement was signed by Vietnamese Deputy Justice Minister, Hoang The Lien, and Swedish Minister for International Development Co-operation, Gunilla Carlsson, in Hanoi on April 25.

The plan will run from 2007-2009 and will aid the MoJ in establishing a National Bar Association and design a long-term development strategy for the country's legal profession. The assistance is Sweden’s contribution to Component Four of a Danish run Programme entitled, “Support legal and judicial reforms in Vietnam.”

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Gunilla Carlsson said that the financing will contribute to the country’s efforts to develop a rule of law state that ensures predictability, equality and human rights protection with a focus on enabling the disadvantaged to access legal protection and representation.

“The establishment of a National Bar Association is an important step in the development of a legal profession. Sweden is pleased to support this establishment,” she said.

For his part, Deputy Minister Lien appreciated Sweden’s assistance in aiding Vietnam to build a legal system that is continuing to be more representative of international standards.

Sweden was the first donor country to support capacity building of the Ministry of Justice in the early 1990's. Sweden’s support of the industry has included education through the Law Universities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; legal aid by supporting the National Legal Aid System for the poor and the disadvantaged; child rights and juvenile justice through the United Nations Children’s Fund; legal reform and the implementation of the Legal System Development Strategy via the United Nations Development Programme. (VNA)