Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) on April 20 signed a new country cooperation programme to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Vietnam, marking a major step forward in their long-standing partnership.

The programme was signed by Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong and UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller at an event in Hanoi with the participation of representatives from relevant ministries, research institutions, localities and development partners.

In his remarks, Müller said more than four decades of cooperation between UNIDO and Vietnam have evolved from standalone projects into integrated and scalable solutions combining policy advice, technical assistance and investment mobilisation. The new programme will deepen collaboration to build a modern, competitive and sustainable industrial base in Vietnam.

Under the framework, UNIDO will support Vietnam’s transition towards greener, more circular and inclusive industrial systems, helping raise domestic value and strengthen competitiveness.

Phuong stressed that the programme provides a clear cooperation framework aligned with Vietnam’s socio-economic development strategies, supporting the country’s goals of becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2030 and a high-income economy by 2045 while advancing the realisation of its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Vietnam – UNIDO country cooperation programme for 2025–2028 has an estimated budget of 72 million USD, focusing on three priorities – accelerating the shift to green industry and a circular economy; enhancing industrial competitiveness and sustainable value chains; and strengthening industrial policies, institutional capacity and partnerships.

Since 1978, UNIDO has worked with Vietnam on more than 170 projects spanning small- and medium-sized enterprise development, quality infrastructure, energy efficiency, cleaner production and sustainable supply chains. Building on this foundation, the new programme will scale up integrated interventions that combine policy support, technical expertise and investment facilitation.

It also opens up new cooperation opportunities in the agro-processing industry, particularly in high-potential value chains such as rice and tea. Efforts will focus on value addition, compliance with sustainability standards, climate resilience and improvement of rural livelihoods.

The signing of the programme further affirms the importance of effective coordination, the Government’s proactive role, and the mobilisation of shared resources to ensure efficient implementation and deliver tangible development outcomes.

In the time to come, UNIDO and Vietnam will continue to work closely to promote innovative, inclusive and sustainable industrial development, helping strengthen economic resilience and move toward shared prosperity./.