The delegation was welcomed by Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee.

The SAFE project is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Its activities have been implemented from September 2022 to May 2028 with the goal of contributing to an inclusive transition to legal, sustainable and deforestation-free supply chains for goods exported to the EU, which must comply with the EU Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR).

Because the EUDR has a major impact on several important industries such as wood and wood products, coffee and rubber, Vietnam has been selected to join a group of countries participating in the SAFE project, with activities expected to be carried out from January 2024 to May 2028. GIZ is authorised by donors to carry out these activities in Vietnam.

In order to promptly complete the building of the SAFE project proposal, GIZ Vietnam has coordinated with the Department of Crop Production to send surveyors to Son La to assess the current status of the local coffee and wood industries, identify the need for technical assistance related to the new EUDR, learn about programmes and projects of the Vietnamese Government and development organisations that are being or about to be implemented in Son La to help its coffee and wood sectors meet the EUDR. They are set to identify and analyse stakeholders, including public and private partners and potential service providers, to collaborate and provide technical support to coffee farmers in the selected province.

Speaking at the meeting, Cong informed the delegation of the potential and advantages of Son La province, especially in the development of coffee and fruit trees associated with export, and forest management and protection. He expressed his hope that GIZ will continue to study the implementation of projects in Son La, adding that the province commits to creating favourable conditions in terms of legal procedures, helping the agency organise effective implementation, on the basis of ensuring compliance with legal regulations.

The working delegation is scheduled to conduct surveys at some companies and enterprises growing, processing and trading coffee in Son La city and Mai Son district./.