On January 16, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang received U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Marc Knapper for a farewell meeting as the ambassador concluded his term of office. The two sides reviewed key cooperation outcomes during Ambassador Knapper’s tenure, particularly in agriculture, environment, and sustainable development—core pillars of Viet Nam–U.S. bilateral relations.
Agricultural trade a key pillar of bilateral ties
Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Knapper said agricultural trade had remained one of the most stable areas of cooperation during his four years in Viet Nam. Viet Nam and the United States, he said, are important agricultural trading partners with largely complementary production structures rather than direct competition.
The ambassador said the United States remains a strategic export market for many of Viet Nam’s major agricultural products, while Viet Nam has increasingly become an important destination for U.S. agricultural goods. Bilateral agricultural trade has continued to expand, contributing to two-way trade growth and supporting global agricultural supply chains amid ongoing volatility.
Minister Tran Duc Thang said Viet Nam–U.S. relations have continued to develop in a deeper, more substantive, and effective manner, delivering tangible benefits to businesses and people in both countries. In the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector, two-way trade recorded positive growth despite 2025 being a challenging year for Vietnamese agricultural exports to the U.S. market.
He said close technical coordination between relevant agencies of both countries had helped maintain trade momentum. Viet Nam’s imports of U.S. agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products in 2025 rose by 28.9% from 2024, reflecting efforts to implement commitments and promote balanced and sustainable trade.
Technical cooperation, sustainability, and market access
The minister said cooperation outcomes in agriculture and environment reflected Ambassador Knapper’s role in promoting dialogue, strengthening mutual trust, and supporting efforts to address technical issues, contributing to stable and sustainable bilateral relations.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products from Viet Nam and the United States are highly complementary. Vietnamese agricultural products are competitively priced, increasingly high in quality, and well received by U.S. consumers. Vietnamese authorities have worked closely with U.S. counterparts to address technical measures, facilitate market access, and ensure compliance with U.S. standards and regulations.
Against the backdrop of a U.S. government review of technical assistance programs, the minister welcomed positive notifications from the U.S. Embassy regarding the resumption of new projects, including the Food for Progress program. Viet Nam seeks to expand cooperation with the United States in high-tech transfer, human resource training, and innovation in agriculture and environment, as well as in developing green and circular agriculture, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening food system resilience, and supporting rural livelihoods, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Ambassador Knapper said he was impressed by the open and practical cooperation of Vietnamese agencies. Bilateral programs and projects have contributed to improved productivity, sustainability, and climate resilience in Viet Nam’s agricultural sector. He cited cooperation initiatives such as the FertilizerRight program and projects promoting efficient rice straw utilization linked to emissions reduction.
Expanding cooperation into new areas
Ambassador Knapper said cooperation in strategic minerals and resources offers potential for future engagement. With experience in mineral surveying, extraction, and processing, the United States is ready to work with Viet Nam to enhance resource management capacity in an efficient and sustainable manner.
Both sides welcomed cooperation under the One Health initiative, which focuses on preventing and controlling the spread of diseases between animals and humans, and agreed to continue collaboration. Outstanding issues related to technical regulations, reciprocal tariffs, and the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) were noted, with both sides agreeing to continue coordination through interagency working missions starting in early 2026.
Concluding the meeting, Minister Tran Duc Thang expressed his hope that Ambassador Marc Knapper would continue to support Viet Nam–U.S. cooperation in agriculture, environment, and sustainable development in the future.
On October 30, 2025, at a meeting with founding members of the LEAF Coalition and the Emergent organization, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Quoc Tri emphasized that Vietnam is finalizing its legal framework and technical conditions to advance negotiations and the signing of the Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA), paving the way for deeper participation in the international forest carbon credit market.
On October 28, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep met with Ms. Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam. Both sides discussed and reached consensus on several key issues related to the development of the Joint Response Plan (JRP), and proposed long-term solutions to strengthen disaster preparedness and prevention capacity at the local level.
On October 28, at the “Ceremony to acknowledge the international community’s support for Vietnamese people affected by typhoons Bualoi and Matmo,” Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep announced that by November, all financial aid would be fully distributed to households affected by the disasters. Each household will receive cash assistance ranging from VND 2 million to VND 5 million to help them quickly stabilize their lives.
On October 24, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep met with South African Minister of Agriculture John Henry Steenhuise. During the meeting, the two sides agreed to promote agricultural trade and aim to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November. The meeting took place as leaders of both countries move toward establishing a Strategic Partnership later this year. Both Vietnam and South Africa expressed their desire to expand economic and trade cooperation, particularly in agriculture and environment — sectors where they possess complementary strengths and potential.
Vietnam and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are reinforcing their long-standing partnership to continue implementing projects on climate change adaptation, green transition, and sustainable development in the country.
