Japan helps Viet Nam strengthen maritime law enforcement capacity
VGP - Japan will help Viet Nam strengthen its maritime law enforcement capacity through a grant agreement worth ¥ 646 million (US$4.1 million).
From left to right: UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam Pauline Tamesis; Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia of the UNODC Global Maritime Crime Program (GMCP) David O’Connell; Deputy Commander for Legal Affairs of the Viet Nam Coast Guard Luong Dinh Hung; and Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Ito Naoki - Photo: Mekong ASEAN
The signing ceremony of the agreement took place in Ha Noi on October 22
Under the agreement, the Japanese Government will provide the grant through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to support Vietnamese law enforcement agencies, particularly the Viet Nam Coast Guard.
The project will run from 2026 to 2029, focusing on specialized training, technical assistance and equipment provision to enhance Viet Nam's capacity to monitor vessels and combat crime at sea and on inland waterways.
Addressing the signing ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki said, the project would establish four training centers for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), provide simulation and surveillance equipment, and train approximately 320 Vietnamese law enforcement officers.
Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia of UNODC's Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) David O'Connell said, the grant marked a further step in the longstanding cooperation among Japan, UNODC and Vietnam, while demonstrating their shared commitment to strengthening maritime security and combating transnational organized crime.
Over the next three years, UNODC will work with Vietnamese authorities, particularly the Viet Nam Coast Guard, to deliver specialized training, provide technical assistance and equipment, and develop a pool of domestic experts, O'Connell said.
He emphasized that the project would go beyond training activities and equipment provision, aiming to strengthen law enforcement agencies' institutional capacity, develop a skilled professional workforce and ensure the sustainability of cooperation after the project concludes./.