Public-private partnership promoted to develop fisheries sector

Initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Directorate of Fisheries, the agreement was co-founded by the German International Co-operation Agency (GIZ), Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Viet Nam Institute of Fisheries Economics and Planning (VIFEF), Viet Nam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS), World Wide Fund for Nature Viet Nam (WWF Viet Nam) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

The agreement aims to enhance responsible fisheries practices and support national strategies, programmes, plans and policies relating to responsible and sustainable fisheries in Viet Nam. Signatories will assist in devising incentives, such as offering financial and technical aid to foster the implementation of responsible practices. Priority is also given to promote responsible aquatic products in the domestic and global markets.

Deputy General Director of the Directorate of Fisheries Pham Anh Tuan said Viet Nam highly appreciates the roles and contributions from civil society and non-governmental organisations and private companies to the sustainable development of the local fishing industry.

The agreement is considered the foundation of co-operation between the State and private sector, which will minimise overlapping activities and forge co-ordination among the parties.

This agreement will help the related units and organizations, especially non-governmental organizations to avoid duplication of activities and orient the deficient part to get more necessary investments. At the same time, it will also facilitate the non-governmental organizations to faster access to the development orientations of Viet Nam.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said the signatories should have in-depth discussions on their standing board’s operations and the co-ordination mechanism amongs partners as well as information sharing.

Their partnership is also a channel providing multidimensional information to the State’s managerial agencies to improve local aquatic products’ competitiveness in foreign markets in the context of global integration.