Officials and experts at the launching event of the Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition (COAST) initiative in Hà Nội on Friday. — Photo courtesy of the British Embassy in Hà Nội

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and the United Kingdom on Friday officially launched the Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition (COAST) initiative in Hà Nội.

The launching event brought together senior government representatives, development partners and coastal stakeholders to mark the start of a major new effort to strengthen the resilience of Việt Nam’s coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

COAST Việt Nam is a five-year project, with a total budget of GBP18.19 million (US$24.3 million), of which GBP17.5 million is funded through the UK Government’s Blue Planet Fund, and GBP0.69 million is funded by the Vietnamese Government in counterpart funding.

The programme aligns closely with the UK–Việt Nam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed in October 2025 and is a key milestone in the growing collaboration between the two countries.

The launching ceremony brought together senior representatives from Việt Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Public Securities, and the British Embassy in Hà Nội. Members of the COAST Facility Programme Management Unit and the Việt Nam country team also took part, alongside delegates from the implementing provinces, international partners and local institutions, universities, and relevant organisations.

An innovative effort for people and nature, COAST is a game-changer for vulnerable coastal communities facing the urgent threats of climate change. Through its largest component, called COAST Facility, it will deliver expert technical assistance, flexible grants, and long-term partnerships to strengthen governance and policy, promote inclusive coastal stewardship and sustainable livelihoods, and enable responsive coastal management.

Việt Nam is one of the facility’s four priority countries. With a coastline stretching 3,260km and an Exclusive Economic Zone of over 417,000sq.km, the country’s marine ecosystems underpin its food security, jobs, and economic growth. But these critical resources face growing threats, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and unsustainable fishing practices are increasing pressure on marine ecosystems.

COAST Việt Nam will help turn the tide by restoring ecosystems, improving livelihoods, and strengthening the governance systems that protect coastal communities.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phùng Đức Tiến remarked that that this programme represents "our shared commitment to protect Việt Nam’s coasts, strengthen community resilience, and support a sustainable ocean-based economy."

Iain Frew, British Ambassador to Việt Nam, said: “COAST brings together national leadership, local innovation, and global expertise to build a climate-resilient future in Việt Nam.”

COAST Việt Nam’s roadmap to lasting change

Aligned with Việt Nam’s Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2021–2030, the National Climate Change Strategy, the National Strategy on Green Growth, Marine Spatial Planning, and the National Plan for Marine Protected Areas, COAST Facility Việt Nam will work towards achieving four strategic objectives.

The programme aims to conserve, protect, and develop fishery resources; restore marine and coastal ecosystems and biodiversity; and improve the climate resilience of marine and coastal aquaculture.

It is also set to promote sustainable livelihood transition for coastal communities, especially vulnerable groups affected by climate change; and strengthen management and policy implementation capacity at national and subnational levels in fisheries, resource protection, ecosystem and biodiversity conservation, as well as climate change response.

The programme will provide technical assistance, flexible grants, and lasting partnerships to advance these four outcomes in eight provinces – Quảng Ninh, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng, Gia Lai, Khánh Hòa, Cần Thơ, An Giang, and Cà Mau.

COAST Facility is delivered by a global consortium of organisations led by DAI Global UK Ltd. in dialogue with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. In Việt Nam, the country team works in close partnership with the Agriculture Project Management Board (APMB) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the British Embassy in Hà Nội.

Ingrid Kelling, COAST Facility Programme Director, said: “We are thrilled to launch COAST Việt Nam. Walking alongside national partners, we will deliver real impact for communities, ecosystems, and livelihoods.” — VNS