As the world faces increasingly severe challenges from climate change and environmental pollution, cooperation between Vietnam and Finland continues to strengthen and evolve toward practical and sustainable outcomes. With its leading expertise in environmental management, climate technology, and circular economy models, Finland has become an important partner accompanying Vietnam in modernizing its observation infrastructure, enhancing environmental governance, and promoting the green transition. Concrete cooperation projects in meteorology, urban environment, and water resources management carry strategic significance for Vietnam’s sustainable development.

On October 8 in Hanoi, Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang received Mr. Pekka Voutilainen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Finland to Vietnam (Photo: Khanh Linh) 

Effective cooperation through Finland’s ODA projects in Vietnam

For more than two decades, Finland has been an active and consistent partner supporting Vietnam in environmental protection and meteorological observation infrastructure development. The project “Promoting the modernization of air quality management and monitoring systems in urban areas of Vietnam” (2021–2024), implemented by the Department of Environment and funded through Finland’s Public Sector Investment Facility (PIF), has strengthened Vietnam’s capacity to provide air quality information, improved data transparency for regulators and the public, and offered key recommendations for building a national monitoring network. This represents a significant step forward in modernizing Vietnam’s environmental management, particularly as air pollution remains a pressing challenge in major cities.

During the meeting, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang proposed that Finland continue supporting Phase II of the project, focusing on improving forecasting capacity, investing in advanced equipment, and training technical staff, thereby contributing to better environmental quality and public health.

Ambassador Pekka Voutilainen reaffirmed Finland’s commitment to practical cooperation with Vietnam in climate response and meteorology, expressing hope to advance Phase II of the joint project ahead of General Secretary To Lam’s upcoming visit to Finland

Ambassador Pekka Voutilainen reaffirmed Finland’s commitment to substantive cooperation with Vietnam, particularly in responding to climate change and advancing meteorology. He expressed hope that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment would soon complete the necessary procedures to launch Phase II of the project, noting that it could serve as a flagship cooperation initiative in connection with the upcoming official visit to Finland by General Secretary To Lam.

Another key initiative, the “Project on strengthening upper-air meteorological observation capacity for disaster prevention and socio-economic development in Vietnam” (commonly referred to as Finland Project 4), is being jointly prepared by the two sides. With a projected total investment exceeding €25.8 million, mostly concessional ODA, the project aims to enhance Vietnam’s weather radar network, establish an upper-air wind measurement system, and enable hydrometeorological data sharing to support production, transportation, and disaster prevention. This continuation of three earlier Finland-supported projects reaffirms the effectiveness and sustainability of the two countries’ long-standing technical cooperation.

Expanding strategic cooperation under a new memorandum of understanding

Both sides agreed to accelerate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam and the Ministry of the Environment of Finland during the upcoming high-level visit by Vietnamese leaders. The MoU is expected to broaden cooperation across key areas, including environmental protection and air pollution reduction; biodiversity conservation; circular economy development; carbon pricing and trading; climate science and technology; and surface and groundwater management, particularly the use of managed aquifer recharge technologies.

Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang emphasized Vietnam’s appreciation of Finland’s expertise in environmental management and green transition, expressing hope for close cooperation to turn shared commitments into concrete actions

Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang emphasized: “Vietnam highly values Finland’s experience and capacity in environmental management and green transition, and looks forward to close cooperation to translate these commitments into concrete actions.”

The signing of the MoU will not only mark an institutional milestone but also reaffirm both nations’ commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in climate adaptation and the transition toward a green economy, areas where Finland possesses extensive experience and advanced technology.

Comprehensive, substantive, and expanding bilateral cooperation

The Vietnam–Finland partnership extends beyond the environmental sector to encompass trade, agriculture, and science and technology. In recent years, bilateral trade has maintained steady growth with complementary export structures. Vietnam has opened its market to Finnish meat, dairy, and seafood products, while key Vietnamese agricultural exports, such as coffee, rubber, cashew nuts, rice, and timber, continue to consolidate their position in Nordic markets.

Technical cooperation has also been a notable highlight of the bilateral relationship. Finland has been among the leading partners assisting Vietnam in modernizing its forestry sector through the Forest Management Information System (FORMIS), an advanced database for monitoring, supervision, and forest management. FORMIS has strengthened forest governance capacity and supported Vietnam in implementing the CITES Convention and the VPA/FLEGT Agreement with the European Union, thereby promoting the export of legal timber products to the EU market.

Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang and Ambassador Pekka Voutilainen exchanged commemorative gifts, symbolizing the strong partnership and growing cooperation between Vietnam and Finland in environment and climate action

Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang affirmed that Finland is a strategic partner of Vietnam in the fields of meteorology and water resources. The two sides have cooperated in developing the SmartMet forecasting system, training experts, sharing groundwater management experience, and applying managed aquifer recharge technologies. These collaborations have strengthened institutional capacity and generated lasting impacts, helping Vietnam become more proactive in climate adaptation and water security.

Amid global climate change and increasingly complex environmental challenges, both countries agreed to expand cooperation in priority areas. Notably, these include applying artificial intelligence in hydrometeorological forecasting and early warning systems; developing smart water resource management models; restoring degraded water bodies; implementing water resource accounting; advancing the Global Biodiversity Framework; managing invasive alien species; and designing economic instruments to mobilize resources for biodiversity conservation.

The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in solid waste and rural wastewater treatment, promote innovation in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, and expand business-to-business connections to boost trade, investment, and green technology transfer.

Ambassador Pekka Voutilainen stressed that Finland stands ready to share its experience, technology, and resources to support Vietnam’s transition toward a low-emission economy and the achievement of its sustainable development goals.

The meeting between Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang and Ambassador Pekka Voutilainen marked an important milestone, opening a new phase of cooperation in environment and climate, and further deepening the friendly partnership between Vietnam and Finland, two nations united by a shared vision for a green, sustainable, and environmentally responsible future.

Khanh Linh - Ngoc Huyen