EU Partnership Forum 2024
Vietnam established diplomatic ties with the European Union (EU) in October 1990. Since then, Vietnam has become one of the EU's main partners in the region, with the highest number of agreements of any country in Southeast Asia (including EVFTA and JETP).
European Union Ambassador to Vietnam Jullien Guerrier delivering his speech
On June 12, the EU organized the EU Partnership Forum 2024 in Hanoi. The forum attendees included the EU Ambassador to Vietnam Jullien Guerrier and VUSTA Vice President Pham Ngoc Linh.
Speaking at the Forum, VUSTA Vice President highlighted the EU as a crucial partner of Vietnam. EU is one of the FDI investors in Vietnam, providing huge ODA funding for many years. In addition, the EU also engaged in many collaborations in Vietnam, such as co-organizing the 2021 Forum of Sustainable Development of the Mekong Delta. EU also supported numerous non-refundable aid programs not part of ODA for VUSTA's non-governmental S&T organizations.
VUSTA Vice President Pham Ngoc Linh speaking at the Forum
Vice President Pham Ngoc Linh acknowledged the EU's organization of the annual Partner Forum since 2016. This is a forum for EU partners that are agencies, socio-political organizations, and non-governmental S&T organizations to international organizations, to exchange information, share information, and propose models for further close and effective cooperation. As the competent authority, VUSTA has developed and refined a set of regulations and procedures over the past two years to specify the relevant state regulations for receiving and implementing non-refundable foreign aid projects. According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Linh, VUSTA has built a complete set of tools to help organizations easily grasp and comply with relevant state regulations. VUSTA also regularly organizes training programs and seminars with its member organizations to exchange and promptly resolve their difficulties in the process of receiving foreign aid programs and projects, including programs and projects in cooperation with the EU. The Union has closely accompanied and supported its member organizations in implementing projects in the localities.
Delegates of the Forum
In the coming time, Vusta hopes to continue receiving support and cooperation from the EU for the organizations within the system, particularly in areas such as environmental protection, water resource protection, climate change response, expanding livelihood models, improving educational conditions in some difficult regions, contributing to socio-economic development, and achieving sustainable development goals. In the implementation of projects, the two sides need to closely coordinate in organizing joint activities such as workshops to share EU call for proposals, in supporting organizations to build and design project documents, and in coordinating the inspection and evaluation of EU-supported projects along with various agencies and sectors to contribute to the successful and effective implementation of foreign aid projects - Vice President Pham Ngoc Linh desired.
An EU delegate speaking at the Forum
According to an EU delegate, up to now, Vietnamese research facilities have received 9 Horizon Europe projects worth 800,000 Euro in collaborations with EU partners. EU has been working with Vietnamese partners to create more opportunities for this research cooperation. There are some areas that the EU encourages Vietnam to participate in, such as collaborating in research on water resources, circular economy, and bioeconomy.
EU has demonstrated its commitments through practices, such as joining hands with the Ministry of Science and Technology to create favorable conditions for researchers and research facilities in Vietnam to connect, learn, and exchange experiences under the EURAXESS.
Some attendees stated that, despite the rapid growth in bilateral trade between the EU and Vietnam in recent years, from January to September 2023, two-way trade decreased by 7% compared to the same period last year (43.7 billion euros according to Eurostat). Vietnam's exports decreased by 6.8% (estimated at 35.3 billion euros) while EU exports decreased by 8.2% (estimated at 8.5 billion euros). These figures indicate an adjustment in the model of the bilateral trade relationship amid a difficult global economic situation. Many attendees at the Forum believe that the adjustment in the growth rate may continue in 2024 before recovering strongly in 2025 and the following years.
