HCMC – The Vietnam–Netherlands Business Forum 2025, themed “Shaping the Future of Sustainable Aquaculture in the Mekong Delta,” took place in HCMC on November 12, gathering senior officials, experts, and business leaders from both nations to advance cooperation in sustainable aquaculture.
In her opening remarks, Natalie den Breugom-de Haas, deputy director of the Sustainable Economic Development Department at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed the strong partnership between the Netherlands and Vietnam, which has been built over many years through collaboration in sustainable agriculture, food security, and water management.
“The Netherlands is proud to have supported Vietnam in its journey to protect, nourish and unlock the full potential of the Mekong Delta—to make it not only future-proof but also economically resilient,” she said. “The CombiTrack program, launched in 2022, turns shared ambitions into practical, scalable solutions focusing on sustainable aquaculture, bringing together stakeholders from government, business, and academia.”
She emphasized that after three years, the program has already shown tangible results: better outcomes for farmers, improved product quality, reduced environmental pressures, and stronger business connections between the two countries.
Tran Dinh Luan, director general of the Department of Fisheries under Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, underscored the importance of long-term cooperation to help Vietnam’s aquaculture sector become a modern, effective, and responsible industry amid climate challenges.
He said he appreciated the Aquaculture Combitrack initiative, which includes seven projects between Vietnam and the Netherlands, and said the program showed how scientists and communities could work together on sustainable projects that deliver both economic and environmental benefits.
A panel discussion explored responsible aquaculture practices and international certification standards. Industry representatives including Duco Onnes, general manager of Nutreco International Vietnam, highlighted the importance of Aquaculture Steward Council (ASC) certification and the need to involve the entire supply chain from feed producers to farmers to achieve sustainability and traceability.
A highlight of the forum was the launch of three new collaborative initiatives: DeltaCare Initiative on aquaculture welfare, AquaGene Vietnam on shrimp and clam genetics, and Tomgoxy Zero on mangrove-integrated vannamei farming.
During the event, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Aukje de Vries also addressed questions from the media. She added that beyond aquaculture, cooperation opportunities between the two nations extend to logistics, smart port development, aviation infrastructure, and high-tech sectors.
“Vietnam’s ambitions in port and airport development are impressive,” the minister told The Saigon Times. “Investing in digitalization, automation, and human resource development will be key to becoming a major regional logistics and aviation hub.”
Vietnam and the Netherlands have enjoyed more than 50 years of diplomatic relations and over a decade of strategic partnership through two SPA agreements on Sustainable Agriculture – Food Security and Water Management – Climate Change Adaptation. These partnerships have become key pillars of practical cooperation in the Mekong Delta, a region sharing many similarities with the Netherlands in terms of delta geography and environmental challenges.
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached US$2.4 billion in the first half of 2025, while the Netherlands remains the largest EU investor in HCMC, with total investment capital of nearly US$5.5 billion.
