HANOI, July 29, 2015 -- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) today agreed to cooperate in strengthening adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies for sustainable low-emission development in Vietnam.

“Under this letter of intent, USAID and MOIT will cooperate through a technical assistance program that is expected to last five years” said USAID Mission Director Joakim Parker. “We welcome this collaboration in support of Vietnam’s climate change strategy and President Obama’s climate action plan, and hope that it results in clean energy development and improved energy efficiency in Vietnam.”

The Ministry and USAID expect to focus on initiatives relating to capacity to design and implement effective clean-energy policy; energy efficiency measures in energy-intensive sectors of the economy; and the capacity of government, the private sector and other stakeholders in the adoption of renewable energy for Vietnam.

This cooperation is inspired by the Joint Statement on the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership by President Barack Obama and President Truong Tan Sang, which welcomed “increasing bilateral cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vietnam through promotion of clean energy and energy efficiency.” The two countries reiterated their commitment to expanding collaboration on climate change in the U.S-Vietnam Joint Vision Statement released during General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s historic visit to the United States earlier this month. It follows and complements a memorandum of understanding signed in May between the U.S. Department of State and Ministry on technical support for the development of Vietnam's competitive power market.

USAID supports Vietnam’s efforts to respond to climate change through several initiatives, including the Vietnam Forests and Deltas Program implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Vietnam Clean Energy Program implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Construction, and the Strengthening Capacity and Institutional Reform for Green Growth and Sustainable Development project with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United Nations Development Program.

For photos of the signing ceremony, visit: https://www.flickr.com/gp/usaid_vietnam/2Y3L7c