15 May 2024

8 activities will be enhanced by Vietnam - Japan bilateral cooperation in the field of forestry in the coming time.

On May 14, in Tokyo, Japan, the Forestry Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam) and the Forestry Department (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral cooperation in the field of forestry. Attending the signing ceremony were representatives of agencies and units under the Forestry Department and the Wood Pellet Association of both sides.

Director Tran Quang Bao (left) and Mr. AOYAMA Toyohisa, Director of the Japan Forestry Department signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC). Photo source: Forestry Department.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Mr. Tran Quang Bao - Director of the Forestry Department, with Mr. AOYAMA Toyohisa - Director of the Japanese Forestry Department presiding over the signing ceremony.

At the ceremony, Mr. Tran Quang Bao highly appreciated the cooperation and support of the Japanese side for Vietnam in the field of forestry in recent years. Japan has supported Vietnam in developing and implementing strategies, policies and important projects of the industry such as: completing the legal system, especially supporting the development of the 2017 Forestry Law and Decrees, Circular for guiding the Foresty Law.

Through non-refundable technical assistance ODA programs/projects and preferential loan projects, Japan has supported Vietnam in strengthening sustainable forest management, improving livelihoods for forest-based communities, biodiversity conservation, and climate change in forestry

In the field of wood trade and wood products, Japan is one of the 5 countries with the largest export turnover of Vietnam in the world with about 1.5 - 2 billion USD annually.

Mr. Tran Quang Bao also emphasized: "Despite achieving the above important cooperation results, the two sides need to continue to promote further cooperation to promote the potential and strengths of the two countries in the field of forestry, deepening cooperation between the two sides, contributing to the development of the two countries' forestry industries."

Mr. Bao highly appreciated the active coordination of the Japanese Forestry Department in the process of building and organizing the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral cooperation on Forestry with Vietnam in a solidarity and friendly atmosphere.

Speaking to welcome the Vietnamese Delegation, Mr. AOYAMA Toyohisa - Director of the Japan Forestry Department also reviewed the results of cooperation between the two sides in recent times. He also highly appreciated the close coordination of the Vietnamese side in during the process and achieved important milestones.

He suggested that in the coming time, the two sides need to strengthen coordination in developing plans to effectively and practically implement the 8 cooperative activities that the two sides have identified in the Memorandum of Understanding, including: Management sustainable forests; Mitigate and adapt to climate change; Effectively manage and use forest resources, Promote the multi-use value of forests; Strengthen forest conservation, Biodiversity and Forest landscape restoration; Forest management to prevent natural disasters; Research and Development of new technology in the field of forestry; Human resource development; and timber legality, trade timber and responsible timber products.

Mr. AOYAMA Toyohisa proposed that in the immediate future, the two sides focus on coordinating and deploying 4 areas: building and mutual recognition of the legality of wood to increase responsible wood trade; create favorable conditions for Japanese experts to come to Vietnam to work and help Vietnam more in the field of forestry; coordinate well to deploy the Joint Credit Mechanism (JCM) signed in 2013; Coordinate the development and implementation of cooperation projects related to the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).

Within the framework of the business trip, the Vietnamese Delegation spent time attending the following events: Bilateral discussion with the Japan Biomass Energy Association; meeting with representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; The 4th Asian Biomass Energy Conference.

At these events, Vietnam shared information about the processing and trade of wood and wood products in Vietnam, and Vietnam's legal regulations on the legality of wood to contribute to promoting wood production. legally and sustainably export and trade wood and wood pellets between the two countries.

Souce: Công Thương