The meeting took place following WWF-Viet Nam’s 30th anniversary in the country and provided an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation under the Ministry’s new leadership.

During the meeting, Mr Roberts congratulated Minister Trinh Viet Hung on his recent appointment and reaffirmed WWF-US’s strong support for Viet Nam’s leadership in advancing sustainable development, environmental protection, and nature conservation.

For more than three decades, WWF has worked alongside Viet Nam’s government agencies, local authorities, communities, and private-sector partners to implement initiatives to conserve biodiversity, restore ecosystems, support sustainable livelihoods, and build climate resilience.

Mr Roberts highlighted the strong alignment between Viet Nam’s priorities for biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and green growth and WWF’s global conservation agenda. He reaffirmed WWF-US’s commitment to supporting Viet Nam in achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) goals, delivering on its Net Zero commitments, and advancing other sustainable development objectives.

The two sides also discussed opportunities for future collaboration, including species conservation and ecosystem restoration; promoting sustainable agriculture, forestry, and fisheries models; developing green and circular economies; and efforts to reduce plastic pollution while mobilising resources for environmental initiatives.

Minister Trinh Viet Hung acknowledged the valuable contributions of WWF-US and WWF-Viet Nam to nature conservation and sustainable development across the country. He also recognised WWF’s role in mobilising resources, providing technical expertise, and fostering the participation of communities and businesses in conservation and green development initiatives.

Both parties agreed to continue working closely to implement the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2025 effectively, while strengthening regular dialogue to advance joint programmes and initiatives. The meeting reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between WWF and Viet Nam and a shared vision for a future where people and nature thrive together.

Launch of the “Blue Horizons: Saving Oceans through Seaweed Farming” Project

On the same day, the Directorate of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in partnership with WWF-Viet Nam, officially launched the “Blue Horizons: Ocean Relief through Seaweed Aquaculture” project.

Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through WWF-US, the project aims to promote sustainable seaweed value chains that support marine ecosystem restoration and improve livelihoods for coastal communities.

Implemented in both Viet Nam and the Philippines, the project aims to establish sustainable seaweed production systems that support ecosystem conservation and deliver social and economic benefits, particularly for communities whose livelihoods depend on marine resources.

Over the course of the project, activities will focus on developing seaweed sector plans, strengthening data and information systems, piloting sustainable farming models, building the capacity of technical staff and local communities, and supporting market development and value addition for seaweed products.

The launch of the “Blue Horizons” project marks an important step towards advancing a sustainable blue economy, conserving marine biodiversity, and creating resilient livelihoods for coastal communities in Viet Nam.