Catherine Lagneau, Chair and CEO of BRGM, and Marie-Hélène Loison, Deputy CEO of the AFD, signed a memorandum of understanding in the presence of Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and French Prime Minister François Bayrou on 10 June 2025.
© BRGM
The objective of the agreement signed between BRGM, the AFD and the Vietnamese Department of Geology and Minerals is to develop bilateral cooperation between France and Vietnam in the area of sustainable geology and mineral management to address energy transition challenges.
A new stage in Franco-Vietnamese scientific cooperation
This agreement builds on long-standing cooperative relations between France and Vietnam in the field of Earth sciences. BRGM and the Vietnamese Department of Geology and Minerals have worked together on several occasions for technical, scientific and institutional projects, as part of bilateral missions or regional programmes.
The memorandum provides for joint actions in the fields of geology, mining cartography, training and applied research.
An initial FEXTE-funded project is already ongoing
In keeping with this framework, an initial FEXTE agreement (funding for technical expertise and exchanges on successful experiences) was signed with the French Development Agency to strengthen Vietnam's capabilities in mining governance, geological exploration, environmental protection and sustainable resource management.
The proposed support is structured around three complementary modules:
- Cooperation and knowledge exchange through the organisation of expert seminars in Hanoi and a visit by a high-level Vietnamese delegation to France, facilitating the transfer of know-how, institutional dialogue and immersion in French practices.
- Strengthening regulation and transparency in the granting and monitoring of mining permits, through the presentation of French regulatory mechanisms, including environmental assessment, public participation and post-mining rehabilitation.
- Promotion of sustainable practices in groundwater protection, mine closure, and both social and environmental assessment.
The objective is to promote cross-learning through peer-to-peer cooperation and technical exchanges, while highlighting successful experiences and best practices on both sides. This scheme also aims to support Vietnam's energy transition by bringing its extractive sector into line with international standards.
These initial modules will also provide an opportunity to identify avenues for future cooperation.
