Vietnam - Australia cooperation in developing ocean conservation policies

At the meeting, Minister Murray Watt affirmed that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Australia is an important foundation for the two countries to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, sustainable fisheries development, as well as marine and ocean protection.

Currently, Australia has developed a comprehensive regulatory and policy system on marine and ocean development to ensure the protection and sustainable exploitation of marine resources.

Minister Do Duc Duy stated that Vietnam has a relatively comprehensive legal framework on environment, biodiversity, fisheries, and marine economy. The country’s priorities for sustainable marine economic development and fisheries are clearly reflected in the Vietnam Fisheries Development Strategy to 2030 with a vision to 2045; the National Marine Spatial Planning; and the Master Plan on Sustainable Exploitation and Use of Coastal Resources for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050.

“The contents of these strategies and plans are consistent with international commitments, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) on life below water,” the Minister emphasized.

In addition, Minister Do Duc Duy especially highlighted Australia’s support for Vietnam’s agriculture and environment sectors, focusing on the sustainable management of fishery resources and fisheries; support for responsible fisheries development and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; sharing of experience in vessel monitoring; marine biodiversity conservation; and coastal environmental and ecosystem protection.

The Minister also affirmed that Vietnam and Australia enjoy strong support from other countries and stakeholders in promoting the effectiveness of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) - a key agenda item at UNOC3.

Australia’s Minister for Environment and Water proposed that the two sides engage in discussions toward signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the marine sector. Under this proposal, Australia would commit to supporting Vietnam in establishing marine protected areas, developing sustainable fisheries, and protecting the marine environment. The support would also include training and development of national ocean policies to help Vietnam manage and safeguard its marine resources, as well as monitoring and enforcement assistance through advanced technologies such as vessel monitoring systems and unmanned platforms.

Minister Do Duc Duy welcomed the proposal and instructed relevant departments under the Ministry to coordinate with Australia’s technical partners to discuss and clarify potential areas of cooperation. These include: support for marine protected areas; protection of fishery resources and sustainable fisheries; marine ecological environment protection; plastic waste management; promotion of scientific research, technology transfer, and capacity building related to marine and ocean governance; and the development of a marine economy to ensure national defense and security.

On this occasion, Minister Do Duc Duy extended an official invitation to Minister Murray Watt to visit and work in Vietnam later this year, with the aim of signing the MoU on ocean conservation cooperation.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment's leadership reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to conserving at least 6% of its marine and coastal areas by 2030. This national target aims to protect vital marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and ecologically significant marine areas.

Vietnam and Australia have established an effective cooperative relationship in the field of agriculture since the launch of the Vietnam – Australia Agricultural Policy Dialogue Forum in 2016. Through three meetings, with the fourth expected to be held in Australia in August 2025, the two sides have promoted several strategic cooperation programs in science and technology, agri-value chain development, and bilateral trade.

Collaborative projects between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now is MAE) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), have supported scientific research, technology transfer, and sustainable agricultural development, particularly in climate change adaptation, resource management, and the advancement of circular agriculture. The Letter of Intent on the “2017-2027 Agricultural Research Strategy,” in collaboration with ACIAR, prioritizes food safety, climate change, soil improvement, market linkages, forestry, and fisheries in the Northwest, Mekong Delta, and Central Highlands regions.