On 27 February, the European Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Trade launched the EU – Vietnam Energy Facility. This is a technical assistance facility in support of the implementation of the European Union (EU)’s Energy Sector Policy Support Programme worth of 108 million euros. This programme aims to enhance access to sustainable energy in rural areas in Vietnam and contribute to a more sustainable energy sector by promoting efficient, clean and renewable energy available to all citizens.
The EU-Vietnam Energy Facility, set-up under the co-financing by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development-BMZ in the framework of Phase II of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Project, will be operated by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
At the launching, the European Commission Director-General of International Cooperation and Development, Stefano Manservisi said: “Our ambitious programme of €108 million, will not only support the Governement of Vietnam to achieve its objective of the 2013 – 2020 programme on electricity supply to rural, mountainous and island areas to provide reliable and sustainable electricity access to up to 1, 200,000 households in rural areas, but it will also enhance the governance of the energy sector to facilitate the shift to a more sustainable energy development path in Vietnam. Vietnam, one of the most exposed countries in the world to climate change, is facing major energy challenges to maintain the path of its socio-economic development. While the EU response cannot address all these challenges, it can together with other development partners influence policies and choices that would aim at making the sector cleaner and more sutainable.”
Minister of Industry and Trade of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, His Excellency, Mr. Tran Tuan Anh expressed: “In the last years, the energy sector of Viet Nam has been developed rapidly and sustainably. This development is a key factor to maintain the high socio-economic growth of the country. The Government of Viet Nam commits its socio-economic development, ensuring provision of power to the whole country including in the remote areas where 2% of the population still do not have access to electricity. In this context, the Government of Viet Nam highly respects and is thankful to the EU for its support in sustainable energy development in Viet Nam through its Multi-Annual Indicative Programme for Viet Nam for the period 2014 – 2020 and particularly the Financing Agreement for the Energy Sector Policy Support Programme to enhace Access to Sustainable Energy in Rurla Areas of Viet Nam signed on 1 December 2017“.
The EU indicative grant allocation of 346 million euro supporting the energy sector in Vietnam for the period 2014 – 2020 is the largest grant contribution provided by the EU so far to a single country in support of sustainable energy. It reaffirms the European Union’s leading role in supporting the fight against climate change and in the promotion of renewable energies. In Vietnam, the EU is committed to further contribute to a more sustainable energy sector by promoting efficient, clean and renewable energy.
