Vietnam and Indonesia enhance cooperation in the fields of agriculture and environment

In the context of the two countries' elevation of their relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Minister Do Duc Duy anticipated that his Indonesian counterpart's working visit at the P4G Summit would facilitate a series of practical and effective cooperation opportunities, particularly in the areas of agriculture, environment, sustainable development, and food security, during the reception.

In the past, General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and the President of Indonesia reached an agreement to leverage bilateral cooperation mechanisms and sign agreements in order to increase bilateral trade turnover to 18–20 billion USD by 2028 during high-level discussions.

Minister Do Duc Duy asserted that this objective is entirely within reach, noting that bilateral trade between the two nations had already exceeded 16.7 billion USD in 2024, representing a 21.6% increase from 2023. At present, Indonesia is Vietnam's second-largest trading partner within ASEAN, while Vietnam is Indonesia's fourth-largest trading partner in the region. The strong development of economic relations between the two countries is not only reflected in figures but also in the political commitment and shared determination to foster cooperation for sustainable development and common prosperity in the region.

On the Indonesian side, Minister Rachmat Pambudy expressed the hope that both parties would strengthen their close cooperation, particularly in the fields of trade and the environment. The objective is to balance bilateral trade and, in particular, to encourage the export of Vietnamese agricultural products to Indonesia. Minister Pambudy expressed his appreciation to Vietnam for providing Indonesian businesses with the opportunity to invest and operate in the country. He expressed his expectation that licensing processes and market access would continue to receive more flexible support in the near future.

"Vietnamese business standards are being raised, and we are dedicated to offering the highest level of assistance to assist Vietnamese enterprises in obtaining licenses in Indonesia more efficiently and conveniently," he added.

Throughout the meeting, Minister Do Duc Duy suggested a number of strategic directions to improve bilateral cooperation in a sustainable and effective direction.

To begin, he proposed that both sides continue to streamline the process of accessing their respective markets for each other's agricultural products and businesses, with the goal of achieving a more balanced trade relationship.

Second, the Minister underscored the significance of enhancing information exchange, working to develop concrete action plans in the fields of agriculture and the environment, and sharing scientific and technological advancements.

Third, he openly indicated that the rice sector has significant potential for deep cooperation in the context of food security. Vietnam's one of greatest rice importer in 2024 is Indonesia; however, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two nations has not yet been executed. Vietnam hopes to shortly finalize the MoU, which will bolster Indonesia's food security and stabilize Vietnam's rice exports.

Fourth, there is significant room for cooperation between the two nations in the development of the Halal food market. Vietnam is currently in the process of expanding its Halal industry, and Minister Do Duc Duy expressed his desire to fortify partnerships with Indonesia in order to capitalize on their respective production capabilities and expand their export markets.

Fifth, the Minister suggested that Vietnam and Indonesia continue to provide mutual support at regional and international forums for low-emission development, green agriculture, circular agriculture, and food security. In particular, the two parties possess complementary strengths and can exchange experiences in marine capture, aquaculture, and helping fishers in the development of sustainable livelihoods in the fisheries sector.

Additionally, the Vietnamese Minister proposed that the organization of trade promotion forums be expanded to provide businesses from both countries with additional opportunities to engage in discussions, establish connections, and sign cooperation agreements.

Regarding particular areas of cooperation, Minister Do Duc Duy expressed Vietnam's desire for Indonesia to enhance scientific and technological collaboration and trade in fisheries, particularly in lobster seed, tuna, and seaweed. Regarding lobster seed, he urged Indonesia to accelerate the opening of its market for exports to Vietnam. He recommended that the two nations collaborate on the transfer of high-quality varieties, research, and processing technology for seaweed. With respect to tuna, Vietnam intends to import it directly from Indonesia, disregarding intermediaries.

Regarding the issue of combating IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, the Minister suggested that both parties continue to effectively employ the hotline mechanism to prevent violations and sustainably protect fishery resources. Additionally, he stated that the Vietnamese government is dedicated to the prevention of IUU fishing in accordance with its international obligations.

Indonesia signed the agreement to establish the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control in the environmental and climate change sector.

The agreement to establish the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control has been approved by a resolution issued by Vietnam, as noted by Minister Do Duc Duy. The Minister of Agriculture and Environment has been authorized to sign the document. At present, the Ministry is collaborating with the ASEAN Secretariat to expedite the signing process.

Finally, Minister Do Duc Duy confirmed that Vietnam consistently facilitates and resolves challenges for Indonesian enterprises that conduct business in the country. At the same time, he expressed his optimism that Indonesia would provide assistance to Vietnamese enterprises that are interested in investing in Indonesian sectors such as sugarcane and rice. This support would be provided through the implementation of modern, environmentally favorable technologies, which would contribute to the mutual development of both economies.