Long-standing partnership with a strong foundation

Minister Do Duc Duy emphasized that Switzerland was among the earliest countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam, and more recently the two sides elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Partnership. Economically, Switzerland is ASEAN’s fourth-largest trading partner and ranks 20th among 150 countries and territories investing directly in Vietnam.

Minister Do Duc Duy meets Swiss Ambassador Thomas Gass on 8 July to discuss 2025–2028 cooperation on climate adaptation, environmental protection, and sustainable development, ahead of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026

Agricultural cooperation began in 1993 and has since expanded through a range of programs and projects. Notable examples include the project on strengthening compliance with standards and quality in tropical fruit value chains, and the Mekong Delta Climate Resilience Programme (MCRP) implemented by GIZ.

The Minister acknowledged Switzerland’s significant contributions to disaster risk reduction, particularly an emergency aid package worth 1 million CHF (1.2 million USD) to support communities affected by Typhoon Yagi in September 2024, along with the proposal to deploy expert teams for water, sanitation, and post-disaster recovery.

He expressed appreciation for Switzerland’s goodwill and long-standing partnership, stressing that this provides a solid foundation for advancing new cooperative initiatives toward sustainable development.

Cooperation aligned with green transition and low emissions

Minister Do Duc Duy welcomed Switzerland’s strategic orientation for 2025–2028, noting its alignment with Vietnam’s agricultural transition toward greener, smarter, and lower-emission practices. Shared priorities such as climate change adaptation, environmental protection, and sustainable development, he said, would create synergies and enhance the impact of joint programs.

Minister Do Duc Duy welcomes Switzerland’s 2025–2028 strategy, aligned with Viet Nam’s green, low-emission agricultural transition

Ambassador Thomas Gass expressed appreciation for the Ministry’s efforts in administrative reforms and in assisting communities affected by Typhoon Yagi. He noted that Switzerland is already engaged in cooperation programs with Vietnam in water resource management and strengthening climate resilience in the Mekong Delta.

Both sides agreed to broaden cooperation into new areas, including carbon credit exchange to support emissions reduction goals, innovation and digital technologies in agricultural value chains, and joint work on technical standards, quality assurance, and food safety in line with EU market requirements.

The Minister also called for Switzerland’s direct support in designing and implementing bilateral projects to ensure practicality and scalability.

Toward practical cooperation with global relevance

Ambassador Thomas Gass reaffirmed Switzerland’s commitment to working with Vietnam in agriculture and environment during 2025–2028. He highlighted the two countries’ goal of expanding bilateral trade, which reached USD 811.2 million in 2024, while also advancing community support and environmental protection projects.

Priority areas of cooperation include technology transfer, promoting innovation, digitizing agricultural supply chains, and strengthening disaster risk management capacity. These are fields where the two sides can complement each other’s strengths, promising long-term and sustainable results.

Minister Do Duc Duy underlined that with the basis of a Comprehensive Partnership, mutual trust, and goodwill, agricultural and environmental cooperation between Viet Nam and Switzerland will continue to grow, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

He stressed that the impact of bilateral cooperation extends beyond national interests, contributing to global sustainable development goals and reflecting the shared responsibility of both nations to the international community.

Minh Thao