Viet Nam and France foster cooperation on blue economy and sustainable environment

Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang visited Paris on September 29 as part of Viet Nam's foreign affairs agenda to implement the newly upgraded Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with France. During his visit, he engaged in discussions with Agnès Pannier Runacher, the Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forestry, the Sea and Fisheries of France. During the candid and open discussions, both parties endeavored to broaden their collaboration in the areas of environmental protection, sustainable agriculture, and climate change adaptation.

Following recent milestones in bilateral relations, such as President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Viet Nam in May and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's participation in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) in Nice in June 2025, Minister Runacher welcomed the Vietnamese delegation and underscored the significance of the visit. She reiterated that France prioritizes addressing three key global challenges: environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change. In an effort to accomplish its Net Zero 2050 goal, France has implemented a legal framework and allocated budgets since the 1990s, resulting in an approximate 30% decrease in carbon emissions. The nation is also ranked among the top five nations in the world for international environmental assistance, with roughly €6 billion in aid distributed to projects outside of the European Union.

Minister Runacher affirmed France’s desire to cooperate closely with Viet Nam through mechanisms such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), foreign investment in energy transition, and the development of renewable energy. France, she said, is ready to discuss strategies and projects in detail to help Viet Nam meet its Net Zero 2050 commitments, achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and participate in carbon credit exchanges under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. She also emphasized the potential for coordination with the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which would allow Vietnamese businesses to adhere to international standards on equitable and sustainable terms.

The French party also commended Viet Nam's efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Minister Runacher assured that France would advocate for Viet Nam within the EU to remove the current "yellow card" warning on its seafood exports. She emphasized France’s commitment to accompany Viet Nam in building a sustainable blue economy, implementing the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), and developing advanced vessel monitoring systems. France is in the process of developing a pilot project that uses satellite technology to monitor fishing operations and protect aquatic resources in Viet Nam.

Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang underscored that Viet Nam, despite its limited resources and status as a developing nation, is striving to achieve a development rate of over 10% in the next ten years. He stated that Viet Nam wishes to learn from international experience in striking a balance between economic growth and environmental protection. Per its commitment to achieving Net Zero 2050 at COP26, the Vietnamese government has constructed comprehensive strategies and designated specific duties to ministries and agencies. The JETP on energy transition, Power Development Plan VIII, the one-million-hectare program for high-quality, low-emission rice, and afforestation and forest protection projects aimed at enhancing carbon absorption are among the major initiatives currently underway.

Regarding fisheries, Acting Minister Thang noted that Viet Nam has reformed its legal system and tightened enforcement, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of vessels involved in IUU fishing. However, he emphasized that the sustainable modernization of small-scale fisheries will require the collaboration of international partners, particularly France, as well as time and technological support.

The meeting concluded with both parties reaffirming their dedication to enhancing the quality of cooperation and turning from dialogue to concrete action. Acting Minister Thang has extended a formal invitation to Minister Runacher to conduct an official visit to Viet Nam to establish collaborative initiatives in the areas of sustainable fisheries, biodiversity conservation, forest management, emissions reduction, and just energy transition.

Viet Nam remains dedicated to its role as a responsible partner in addressing global environmental challenges. "We are eager to collaborate with France to establish a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future that balances economic expansion and environmental protection", stated Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang.

Food science as a pillar of cooperation

As part of the mission in France, Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director General of the International Cooperation Department, had a working session with the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) in the presence of representatives from the Department of Science and Technology and the Viet Nam Academy of Agricultural Sciences. During the meeting, both parties reiterated their commitment to enhancing their collaboration in the fields of science and technology, with a particular emphasis on the effective implementation of Viet Nam's Resolution 57 on science, technology, and innovation in agriculture and the environment.

The two parties have reached an agreement to create a comprehensive action plan that will cover the exchange of information, the placement of experts and personnel for research and study, and the development of joint research programs. Strengthening mechanisms and policies to establish an agricultural-environmental innovation ecosystem, advancing biotechnology and the bioeconomy, promoting ecological agriculture and the One Health approach, enhancing food technology, processing, and nutrition, and implementing artificial intelligence (AI) across agricultural value chains were identified as priority areas for collaboration.