Denmark supports Vietnam to improve food safety

MARD Vice Minister Mr. Phung Duc Tien and the Danish Ambassador in Vietnam Mr. Kim Højlund Christensen signed an Arrangement to support the sustainable growth and development of the Vietnamese pork value chain. The Arrangement marks the commencement of a three-year phase 2 of the Vietnamese Danish government-to-government cooperation on food safety with focus on improving food safety in the pork value chain.

Specifically, Phase 2 of the Strategic Sector Cooperation in the pork value chain will focus on feed management, veterinary drug management, good animal husbandry practices and capacity building related to risk-based food and feed safety management.

At the same occasion, the Vice Minister of MARD and Mr Robert Leo Skov, the Scientific Director of the International Center for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MARD and ICARS on the establishment of a partnership on mitigating antimicrobial use and resistance in livestock and aquaculture.

Antimicrobial resistance has become one of the greatest threats to health, society, and economies worldwide. With the signed MOU between MARD and ICARS, Vietnam will be one of the first countries to engage in a cooperation with ICARS establishing pilot projects on mitigating antimicrobial resistance in the livestock and aquaculture sector.

‘Food safety directly relates to one’s good health and happy living. It also affects prices of products in the market. Denmark has a long history of putting food safety high on the agenda. The two documents we are signing today are very important instruments for Vietnam and Denmark to continue our good cooperation in supporting Vietnam to improve food safety. Accordingly, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and the International Center for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions will work closely with their Vietnamese counterpart agencies in MARD, exchange and share with them Danish expertise, experiences and knowledge gained after  many years of research and practices in this area.’ said Ambassador of Denmark Mr. Kim Højlund Christensen.

Since 2015, Vietnam and Denmark has engaged in Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC) within health, education and food safety with the purpose of promoting sustainable and responsible growth, jobs and prosperity in Vietnam. Within the SSC framework, the Danish public authorities have established a partnership where they can support their Vietnamese partner ministries with expertise and facilitate transfer of Danish know-how and experiences relevant to local priority issues, local conditions and needs./.