Former United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Jordan Ryan shares with Tuoi Tre News his thoughts on the invaluable legacy of late Prime Minister Phan Van Khai as well as his personal moments with the premier that the American man could never forget.

“Prime Minister Phan Van Khai was central to Vietnam’s economic progress. He was a friend of the United Nations and an advocate for reform,” Ryan said.

The Vietnamese prime minister passed away on March 16 at the age of 85.

A two-day state funeral was held for him on March 20 and 21, with thousands mourning his death.

What was your first impression of PM Phan Van Khai and what did you think about him when you got to know him more?

I first met PM Phan Van Khai when I served as the deputy resident representative for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the mid-1990s. I got to know him better when I returned to Vietnam in 2002 to serve as the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative. I remember my first "official" meeting with him as PM in early January 2002 when I presented my UN credentials to him. He and I laughed over the fact that we both had advanced since the last time we met, we now could remove the term "deputy" from our titles. PM Phan Van Khai was always gracious and generous to my UN colleagues and me. He had a friendly smile and was always ready to listen.

Economists believed one of PM Khai’s largest legacies was the Law on Enterprises and the amended Law on Foreign Investment. What are your views on his efforts and their impacts on Vietnam’s economy?

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his government showed tremendous courage after 1997. You still remember that after the East Asia Financial Crisis many people were arguing that globalization and economic integration were too risky, and that the reason that Vietnam did not fare as badly as countries like Thailand and Indonesia was that it was not integrated into the regional and global economy. But the government understood that Vietnam was a "foreign exchange constrained" economy that needed to export in order to industrialize and create jobs. The government negotiated the U.S. bilateral trade agreement, which was a watershed in Vietnam's economic reforms. Exports soared and economic growth picked up, which gave the government the confidence it needed to restart the WTO accession negotiations.

The Enterprises Law and Foreign Investment Law were also important turning points in economic reform. Although now we view these as obvious steps that needed to be taken as the economy diversified, it is important to remember that at the time there was considerable domestic opposition to formalizing the role of the private sector and reducing barriers to foreign investment. The prime minister and the government had to work hard to persuade doubters that Vietnamese companies were up to the challenge, and that opening to foreign investment would not represent a loss of sovereignty or exploitation by large foreign multinationals. As we know now, FDI has made a big contribution to export growth and job creation, and Vietnam's diverse economy is now – after a rough period during the global economic crisis – one of the best performers in Asia.

PM Khai was deemed a leader of global integration who knew how to listen. What do you think?

Phan Van Khai was a modest man who always put the country and the Party first. He was of the generation that truly believed in collective leadership, in listening to opinions from across the spectrum and working with colleagues to achieve a consensus. So I think that although he was proud to have led the government through this tremendous turning point in economic policy, he would emphasize the collective effort of the government, the Party and the people in turning the economy around and making a success of the USBTA, the European market access agreement, ASEAN membership, APEC membership and all of the other bold steps that the country took at that time toward reintegration with the global community. He was a strong supporter of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and often made the point that integration was not an end in itself but an important tool to create jobs and reduce poverty.

What do you think about the relationship between Vietnam and international partners like the UN under PM Khai’s leadership?

The early 2000s was a period of tremendous optimism in Vietnam and the relationship between the government and the international community in Hanoi was very friendly. This was a time when the MDGs were the focus of attention among the development partners, led by the UN agencies. Vietnam's tremendous commitment to reducing poverty and achieving the MDGs made the country a leader within the developing world. So a very special relationship developed between the government and people of Vietnam and the UN. PM Khai played a central role in advancing this positive relationship.

What are your most memorable moments with PM Khai?

I have many fond memories of my meetings with PM Phan Van Khai. We exchanged views on HIV/AIDS, the challenge of human rights, bird flu and SARS and the need for continued reform. Perhaps the most memorable was my final meeting with him before I left Vietnam to take up a posting as the deputy special representative of the UN Secretary-General in Liberia. It was a bittersweet moment for me and I was overcome by the emotion of leaving Vietnam for a second time. PM Khai saw how affected I was and he replied in a most sincere human fashion. He spoke from his heart about his country, development and peace. But our exchanges weren't always serious. We often had a good laugh together. At this farewell meeting, I remember showing him a button I had been given in 1964 as part of the U.S. demonstrations against the war in Vietnam. It read: "Get the U.S. out and the UN in Vietnam." He smiled broadly and said that it was good that both the U.S. and the UN were now in Vietnam, a country at peace.

I was privileged to know PM Phan Van Khai, a true leader, and will always hold the fond memories of his friendship and kindness in my heart.

* Jordan Ryan was the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam between 2002 and 2005. He now serves as the Vice President of the Peace Programs of the Carter Center.

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