The event, chaired by Vice President of the European Commission (EC) and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, Ms. Kaja Kallas, brought together 64 Foreign Ministers and heads of delegations from EU member states and countries in the Indo- Pacific region.
According to a VNA correspondent in Brussels, with the theme “Building a resilient, prosperous and secure future together”, the IPMF-4 Forum focused on discussing three key groups of contents: regional security and stability; prosperity - connectivity - economic security; green cooperation and sustainable development. This is an opportunity for countries to exchange and assess the regional situation, review the level of cooperation between the EU and the Indo- Pacific region, and seek new directions to respond to growing challenges, from strategic competition between major countries to climate change, economic security, supply chain disruption and digital transformation requirements.
Within the framework of the Forum, three parallel discussion sessions were held with the following topics: “Prioritizing security in the face of geopolitical developments”, “Sharing prosperity, economic security and digital connectivity” and “Common journey towards a clean and sustainable future”. At the discussion session on sustainable development, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang emphasized the increasingly serious non-traditional security challenges such as natural disasters and climate change. She affirmed that green transformation is an irreversible strategic trend for all countries, while emphasizing the importance of international cooperation, because no single country can overcome global challenges.
Faced with common limitations in financial and technological resources, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang proposed five major orientations to strengthen inter-regional cooperation: promoting green finance and international incentive mechanisms; promoting technical cooperation and experience sharing; improving capacity to adapt to climate change and respond to natural disasters; enhancing research and monitoring of marine resources; and supporting Vietnam in building a sustainable fisheries sector. Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang also shared about the ongoing storm and flood situation in Vietnam, receiving sympathy and understanding from the delegates attending.
On the sidelines of the Forum, on November 20, Ms. Kaja Kallas and EU Foreign Ministers had a roundtable discussion with partners who are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), aiming to assess the results of the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership and future directions, as the two regions prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of relations (1977-2027). The EU expressed sympathy for the damage caused by natural disasters in the Philippines and Vietnam, and emphasized the priority of effectively implementing the ASEAN-EU Action Plan for the period 2023-2027, especially in the fields of green transition, trade - investment and science and technology. The ASEAN side shared the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the desire to strengthen bilateral connectivity.
At the discussion session, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang emphasized that strengthening strategic resilience is an urgent requirement for both ASEAN and the EU, in order to ensure stability, maintain growth and minimize the impact of external shocks. The Deputy Minister emphasized that the two sides should step up coordination between specialized mechanisms on energy, digital economy, environment and disaster response; promote cooperation between businesses of the two regions, expand innovation and strengthen value chain linkages. Vietnam also asked the EU to continue supporting ASEAN in key areas such as renewable energy, cyber security, maritime security and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
During her participation in IPMF-4, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang had bilateral meetings with the Secretary General of the EU External Action Service, Ms. Belen Martinez Carbonell; Foreign Affairs Adviser to the President of the European Council, Ms. Veronika Musilova; Croatian Foreign Minister, Mr. Gordan Grlić Radman; Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Ana Isabel Xavier; and Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Vidmantas Verbickas. Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang also had many meetings on the sidelines with leaders of European, ASEAN and Indo-Pacific delegations.
At the meetings, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to strengthening multifaceted cooperation with the EU and its member states, especially in the context of the two sides celebrating the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1990-2025). The Deputy Minister emphasized that the two sides should closely coordinate to soon elevate the Vietnam-EU relationship, prepare for high-level visits and contacts; expand cooperation in traditional areas such as trade - investment, tourism and people-to-people exchange; and promote cooperation in potential areas such as science - technology, marine economy, energy transition and sustainable development through the Erasmus program, the Horizon Europe research and innovation funding program and the Fair Energy Transition Partnership Program (JETP). The Deputy Minister also proposed that the EU soon complete the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), creating new momentum for investment cooperation; At the same time, update Vietnam's measures in combating IUU fishing and propose that the EU consider removing the "yellow card" soon.
EU leaders and representatives of countries highly appreciated Vietnam's active participation in IPMF-4, welcomed the Deputy Minister's proposals and affirmed their desire to further strengthen cooperation with Vietnam. The EU representative stressed that this is the right time for the two sides to upgrade bilateral relations, promote cooperation in digital transformation, green transformation, science - technology and trade - investment. The EU committed to actively considering Vietnam's proposals related to EVIPA and IUU, and support Vietnam to participate more deeply in multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman expressed his wish to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in areas such as software development, artificial intelligence, electric cars and cooperation between the two foreign ministries, and invited Vietnam to attend the Dubrovnik Forum 2026. The Portuguese representative suggested promoting cooperation in education, tourism and energy. Meanwhile, the Lithuanian side agreed to promote the results of President Gitanas Nauséda's visit to Vietnam, especially in the fields of financial technology (FinTech), digital transformation, digital economy and artificial intelligence.
Vietnam’s participation in IPMF-4 has affirmed its proactive and responsible role in promoting regional cooperation. Vietnam’s contributions are highly appreciated, creating a foundation for Vietnam and the EU to expand cooperation in priority areas, while continuing to enhance Vietnam’s foreign policy position in the context of deep international integration.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/viet-nam-thuc-day-hop-tac-giua-eu-va-an-do-duong-thai-binh-duong-20251122184808454.htm
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