Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Nguyễn Quốc Trị, and Ms. Kelly Milton, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources, co-chaired the 3rd Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Timber between Vietnam and the United States.
From August 22 to 23, 2023, in Washington, D.C., Mr. Nguyễn Quốc Trị, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Ms. Kelly Milton, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources, co-chaired the 3rd Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Timber between Vietnam and the United States.
The Joint Working Group on Timber was established to implement the Agreement between the Government of Vietnam and the Government of the United States on the control of illegal logging and timber trade.
During the meeting, the Vietnamese delegation provided updates on the progress of implementing the Agreement. They discussed the details of Vietnam’s commitments, including the review and elimination of financial incentives for the wood processing industry, enhanced customs control and inspection of imported timber, increased cooperation with timber-exporting countries to control the origin of timber, and amendments to legal documents to modify the enterprise classification system. They also emphasized the addition of criteria for identifying positive geographic areas and control measures to prevent illegally harvested timber from entering the supply chain.
The Vietnamese delegation highlighted Vietnam’s commitment to implementing the Agreement and working towards the development of a transparent, sustainable, and responsible forestry industry. In the process of renovation and integration into the global economy, Vietnam is steadfast in following the principle of “sustainable development.” Additionally, Vietnam has strong commitments and actively participates in international efforts to protect our environment and planet. At the COP26 conference, the Vietnamese government pledged to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030 and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The forestry sector will play a crucial role in fulfilling these commitments.
The United States appreciates Vietnam’s serious commitment to implementing the commitments outlined in the Agreement and reaffirms its commitment to continuing technical support activities for Vietnam. This support aims to enhance the capacity of relevant authorities in protecting forests, preserving biodiversity, and controlling illegal timber harvesting.
Source: Forest Inspection Department.
