Canadian group seeks comprehensive nuclear power cooperation with Vietnam

The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Ian L. Edwards, president and CEO of AtkinsRéalis, and Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in Canada on Friday afternoon, local time, as part of the Vietnamese top leader’s state visit.

Edwards said AtkinsRéalis is interested in opportunities in Vietnam across engineering, nuclear technology, infrastructure, energy, transportation, environmental services, project management, and consulting, with nuclear power currently its main focus.

The group’s development strategy centers on sustainable infrastructure, clean energy, advanced nuclear technology, digital solutions, and global project delivery.

Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and State President To Lam welcomed AtkinsRéalis’ proposal for comprehensive nuclear power cooperation and acknowledged the group’s strengths in engineering, project management, and nuclear technology.

He said Vietnam is seeking partners capable of accompanying the country over the long term throughout its entire nuclear power program.

Safety remains Vietnam’s top priority and cannot be compromised, he emphasized.

The country will carefully assess potential technologies and partners based on technological maturity, safety, economic efficiency, financing, implementation schedules, technology transfer, human resource development, and long-term national interests.

Lam highlighted three priorities for nuclear power cooperation.

First, the technology must be safe, mature, and ready for practical deployment.

Second, it must be supported by a feasible financing and implementation model.

Third, nuclear investment should help Vietnam build long-term domestic capabilities.

He welcomed AtkinsRéalis’ proposals on technology transfer, localization, and workforce development, while asking the company to clarify what capabilities it could transfer to Vietnam over the next 10-20 years, how Vietnamese firms could participate, and which parts of the nuclear value chain the country could gradually take on.

Vietnam seeks stronger aviation training capacity

During a separate meeting with Alexandre Prevost, president of Civil Aviation at Canadian aviation training and simulation company CAE, the Vietnamese leader called for deeper cooperation to build internationally competitive aviation training, simulation, and safety capabilities in Vietnam.

He suggested that CAE consider making Vietnam one of its major training and simulation hubs in Southeast Asia, serving both Vietnamese airlines and customers from across the region.

Prevost said CAE hopes to expand cooperation in pilot, cabin crew, maintenance technician, and air traffic controller training, as well as aviation simulation, digital learning, and safety.

Lam also urged CAE to support technology transfer and help Vietnam improve air traffic controller training, simulation capacity, risk management, and operational safety.

Vietnam calls for closer cooperation with ICAO

The Vietnamese Party chief also met Toshiyuki Onuma, president of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO.

He said Vietnam wants to contribute more actively to ICAO’s work and to the development of international standards on aviation security, safety, navigation, sustainable aviation, sustainable aviation fuel, emissions reduction, digital transformation, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

With Vietnam seeking to become a regional passenger and cargo transit hub, the Vietnamese top leader called on ICAO to continue providing technical support and helping the country strengthen aviation safety oversight and compliance with international standards.

He also proposed greater Vietnamese participation in ICAO and its multilateral initiatives, including the ICAO Global Coalition for Sustainable Aviation.