Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The International Support Group’s Plenary Meetingfor 2020 will be held on December 11 to promote global cooperation to supportagricultural and rural development in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Themeeting is an opportunity for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development(MARD) to share their priorities for the development of the sector in thefuture, calling upon the international community to implement solutions to copewith the  challenging times caused by the pandemic.

Ministerof Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong together with the WorldBank Country Director in Vietnam Carolyn Turk and the United NationsDevelopment Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesenwill co-chair the meeting.

Themain objectives are to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on the global and theVietnamese economies and agriculture and rural development. It will set policyrecommendations and solutions to cope with the impacts of the pandemic.

Developinginternational cooperation programmes and projects focusing on the restorationof agricultural production and businesses, connecting global supply chains inthe context of COVID-19 will also be on the agenda.

Atthe meeting, international organisations including the International AgriculturalDevelopment Fund (IFAD), World Bank (WB), Food and AgricultureOrganisation (FAO) and the UNDP will share research results on assessing theimpact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and the production of farmhouseholds; agricultural enterprises; the disruption in the agro-commoditysupply chain; environmental hazards and national as well as global foodsecurity issues. They will set recommendations and solutions for agriculturaldevelopment.

Themeeting is likely to adopt a joint statement which demonstrates a highcommitment to continue cooperation between the MARD and development partners topromote sustainable agricultural and rural development in Vietnam, contributingto the implementation of Government “dual” goals. 

TheISG plenary meeting is a high-level policy dialogue forum held annually betweenthe MARD and the community of international sponsors, business groups andpartners to exchange and share policy directions and priorities of both sidesto promote international cooperation, strengthen coordination of resources topromote Vietnam's agricultural development towards a sustainable and inclusivedirection.

Thisyear’s meeting entitled "Vietnam's agriculture and rural development inthe context of COVID-19 impacts: Opportunities and challenges" is expectedto draw 200 participants from international organisations, enterprises andunits under the MARD./.