High-level Consultations on Vietnam - Australia Development Cooperation

The Australian and Vietnamese governments recently held the High-level Consultations on Vietnam - Australia Development Cooperation to discuss the outcomes of the joint development cooperation programme for 2015-2017 period, and measures to transform it into economic partnership.

Over the past two years, the Australia - Vietnam Development Cooperation Programme in 2015-2017 achieved important results, including the Cao Lanh Bridge scheduled for completion in late 2017, optimistic progress in designing three new programmes - Aus4Reform, Aus4Transport and Aus4Water - aimed to develop a strong and competitive private sector in Vietnam; Aus4Skills programme, kicked off in late 2016, which will continue to deliver the prestigious Australia Awards Scholarships as well as a range of flexible human resource development support programmes; support for women’s economic empowerment, including preparation for the new Aus4Equality and Investing in Women initiatives. Australia's development assistance to Vietnam is assessed fitting the needs of the two sides and produces practical results and encouraging progress.

Typical outcomes can be seen in Australia-funded projects on education, clean water supply, improvement of women’s role and position in economic activities, especially in mountainous provinces like Son La and Lao Cai. Development projects such as Cao Lanh Bridge in Dong Thap province expected to be completed by the end of this year, or scientific and technological cooperation and economic research are also noteworthy.

“Vietnam has been an important partner to Australia in the region for a long time, and our commitment to development cooperation with Vietnam is ongoing. Given Vietnam’s tremendous achievements in socioeconomic development, it is now time to transform the relationship into an economic partnership, based on mutual benefit and shared challenges”, said Mr Philip Green, First Assistant Secretary, Southeast Asia Mainland and Regional Division, the Department of Foreign Affairs of Australia.
The proposed upgrading of the Development Cooperation Programme into Economic Partnership is expected be expanded and built on the principles of commitment to pursuing shared economic interests as outlined in the Plan of Action 2016-2019 signed by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs, encouraging a dynamic private sector, fostering greater business and market access opportunities, empowering women in the economy and promoting environmentally sustainable growth.

“Australia and Vietnam have a strong and mutually beneficial relationship, cemented in the Declaration on Enhancing the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, signed in 2015, and supported by the suite of initiatives identified in the Plan of Action 2016-2019, signed by Foreign Ministers in November 2016. This transformation will help boost the comprehensive partnership between the two countries in the years to come”, said Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick.

Vietnam has been an important partner to Australia in the region for a long time and Australia continues to commit to carrying out development cooperation programmes with Vietnam. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong said that Australia’s proposed transformation of the Development Cooperation Programme into the Economic Partnership and upgrading the current Deputy Minister-level Consultations on Development Cooperation to the Minister-level Consultations scheduled to take place in Hanoi in 2019.

Australia has had development cooperation with Vietnam for 26 years. Support from Australia has covered a wide range of development areas, in line with nation’s socioeconomic development plans.

In the single financial year of 2016 - 2017, Australia’s estimated aid to Vietnam is AUD83.6 million (US$63.8 million), making Vietnam the sixth largest recipient of Australian aid.

Giang Tu