Australia will provide nearly A$100 million in development assistance to Vietnam during the 2026-2027 fiscal year, Ambassador Gillian Bird announced during a meeting with Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on June 29.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung reaffirmed that Vietnam regards Australia as a trusted friend and a Comprehensive Strategic Partner with growing influence in the region and many shared strategic interests.
To further strengthen political trust between the two countries, the prime minister proposed thorough preparations for upcoming high-level exchanges and said that Vietnam looks forward to welcoming the Australian prime minister back for an official visit and to participate in the APEC 2027 Leaders’ Meeting.
The prime minister called for breakthrough measures to achieve the bilateral trade target of US$20 billion and double two-way investment.
He also urged Australia to continue expanding market access for Vietnamese goods, particularly agricultural and seafood products, maintain stable fuel supplies, and minimize trade barriers and anti-dumping investigations.
The PM further proposed that Australia continue supporting training and capacity-building programs for Vietnamese civil servants, particularly senior leaders and managers.
He also called for stronger practical cooperation in defense and security, science and technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Ambassador Gillian Bird reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s reform efforts and development goals.
She said Australia hopes to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, education and training, and support for the development of science and technology.
The ambassador also pledged to encourage greater Australian investment in Vietnam under Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, while continuing to support training and capacity-building programs for Vietnamese officials.
On the occasion, Ambassador Bird announced that Australia would provide nearly A$100 million in total development assistance to Vietnam during the 2026-2027 fiscal year, focusing on science and technology, skills development, human resource training and climate change response
