VUSTA, GFS and VILAR Sign Research and Development Cooperation Agreement, Aiming to Commercialise Medicinal Plants
On 9 September in Hanoi, the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA), GFS Group and the Russian Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (VILAR) signed a tripartite cooperation agreement.
Representing VUSTA were Prof. Academician Châu Văn Minh, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of VUSTA; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Ngọc Linh, Vice President of VUSTA; and leaders of the Office and specialised departments. VILAR was represented by Academician Nikolai Ivanovich Sidelnikov, Director of VILAR, and Dr. Dmitry Nikolaevich Baleev, Deputy Director of VILAR. GFS Group was represented by Mr Phạm Thành Công, Chairman of the Board of Directors. The ceremony was also attended by Major General Phạm Hải Trung, Commander of President Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum Protection Command, as well as scientists and experts from Viet Nam and Russia.
Overview of the signing ceremony
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Prof. Academician Châu Văn Minh, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of VUSTA, welcomed the VILAR delegation, leaders of President Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum Protection Command and GFS Group to VUSTA to exchange views, promote cooperation and witness the signing ceremony. The signing ceremony bears a special meaning as it marked the first international cooperation agreement signed by the leader of VUSTA’s 9th Term.
Prof. Academician Châu Văn Minh noted that VUSTA is a member organisation of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and the home of Viet Nam’s science and technology intellectual community, with a nationwide network comprising national sectoral associations, provincial and municipal unions, and affiliated science and technology organisations.
VUSTA has consistently focused on mobilising and connecting the intellectual community, promoting scientific and technological cooperation, and putting knowledge at the service of national development. This provides a foundation for VUSTA to connect Vietnamese scientists, research organisations and businesses with international partners, gradually developing in-depth cooperation programmes that link research with practical applications.
Prof. Academician ChâuVăn Minh, Secretary of the Party Comittee, President of VUSTA giving his remarks
President Châu Văn Minh gave compliments to the Russian Federation’s advanced fundamental and applied sciences research and addressed the long-standing traditional friendship between this country and Viet Nam. VILAR is a reputable Russian research institute specialising in medicinal plants and pharmaceuticals, with strong expertise in the research, application and development of products derived from natural resources, at the same time, providing master’s and doctoral training in related fields.
Prof. Academician Châu Văn Minh expressed his confidence for the success of the signing ceremony, given VILAR’s special relationship with Viet Nam through more than half a century of cooperation with President Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum Protection Command in fulfilling the task of preserving President Hồ Chí Minh’s embalmed body over the long term. Built through generations of experts and scientists from the two countries, this relationship has become a significant scientific bridge between Viet Nam and the Russian Federation. Meanwhile, GFS Group has a strong focus on the application of science and technology, innovation, and the development of knowledge-intensive products. In particular, the Group’s leadership has a deep interest in science, healthcare and products derived from natural resources, creating favourable conditions for linking VILAR’s research strengths with the company’s capacity for implementation, application and product development.
Building on these foundations, Prof. Academician Châu Văn Minh expressed his expectation that the tripartite Cooperation Agreement would go beyond commitments on paper and be promptly translated into concrete programmes, projects and collaborative activities. He also highlighted technology transfer, application and commercialisation as key directions for cooperation. Ultimately, the aim is to develop products that serve people’s lives while establishing a long-term network of research and innovation partners among the parties.
Academician Nikolai Ivanovich Sidelnikov, Director of VILAR, giving his remarks
Speaking at the ceremony, Academician Nikolai Ivanovich Sidelnikov, Director of VILAR, noted that VILAR will celebrate its 95th anniversary in 2026. Over the course of its development, the Institute has built a strong foundation in research and advanced training, while maintaining cooperation with numerous international partners.
According to Academician Nikolai Ivanovich, VILAR currently provides master’s and doctoral training, publishes scientific works, and participates in research activities and international scientific publications. Research into medicinal plants and essential oils is one of the Institute’s key areas of development.
VILAR scientists focus on natural resources, particularly medicinal plants and essential oils, analysing their composition, structure and active compounds to support the development of pharmaceutical preparations and products. The Institute also has access to the rich plant resources found across different climatic regions of the Russian Federation, expanding opportunities to utilise and apply natural resources in healthcare.
Academician Nikolai Ivanovich highlighted the growing global interest in using natural resources for disease prevention and healthcare. Drawing on its longstanding research experience and network of partners in Viet Nam, VILAR seeks to further promote substantive cooperation and translate the agreed areas into practical implementation.
From the business perspective, Mr Phạm Thành Công, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GFS Group, affirmed that the signing ceremony marked the continuation and deepening of the traditional friendship and close ties between Viet Nam and the Russian Federation.
According to Mr Phạm Thành Công, Viet Nam-Russia relations have been nurtured over decades, with cooperation in education, training, science and technology, leaving a lasting legacy. Generations of Vietnamese experts and scientists trained in Russia have become an important force contributing to Viet Nam’s development.
He noted that a shared understanding of history, a longstanding foundation of cooperation and close ties between the intellectual communities of the two countries provide an important basis for expanding cooperation into new areas, particularly medicinal plant research, healthcare and the development of natural products.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Major General Phạm Hải Trung, Commander of President Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum Protection Command, welcomed the establishment of the tripartite cooperation between VUSTA, GFS and VILAR. According to Major General Phạm Hải Trung, the event not only opens up new opportunities for cooperation among Vietnamese scientific organisations, businesses and Russian partners, but also builds on the special foundation of cooperation established over many years between VILAR and President Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum Protection Command.
Building on this trusted relationship, the expansion of cooperation into medicinal and essential oil plant research and development, human resource training, and the commercialisation of herbal products is expected to generate new value, bringing Viet Nam–Russia scientific cooperation to greater depth and closer alignment with practical needs.
Following substantive, candid and constructive discussions, representatives of VUSTA, GFS Group and VILAR signed the tripartite Cooperation Agreement, marking a new stage in relations among the three organisations. The Agreement is expected to provide a foundation for the parties to leverage their respective strengths, from VUSTA’s capacity to connect intellectuals and experts and VILAR’s specialised research capabilities to GFS’s capacity to organise implementation, apply research findings and develop products.
Representatives of VUSTA, GFS Group, and VILAR signing the agreement
The event also highlights VUSTA’s increasingly prominent role in connecting domestic scientific resources with research organisations, businesses and international partners. Building on a specific cooperation agreement in medicinal plants and essential oils, the parties aim to establish a collaborative ecosystem involving scientists, research institutions, businesses and relevant organisations, thereby shortening the path from research to application, technology transfer and commercialisation of scientific results.
Expanding cooperation in medicinal plants is also in line with the trend of making effective use of natural resources and developing high-value-added healthcare products. If implemented in a coordinated manner, cooperation among VUSTA, GFS and VILAR could pave the way for joint research programmes, expert exchanges, human resource training, surveys and development of raw material cultivation areas, formulation research, and technology transfer.
Prof. Academician Châu Văn Minh, representing VUSTA, presenting a gift to the VILAR delegation
As a bridge connecting Viet Nam’s science and technology intellectual community, VUSTA is expected to further leverage its strengths in connecting, coordinating and promoting cooperation, translating the commitments made at the signing ceremony into concrete research activities, products and outcomes. In doing so, the tripartite cooperation will not only generate scientific, economic and social value, but also contribute to strengthening the foundation for cooperation between Viet Nam and the Russian Federation in science and technology, education and training in a new phase of development.
Delegates taking a commemorative photo at the signing ceremony
