On March 30, Vietnam’s Vice Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong joined U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Energy Resources Sandra Oudkirk and U.S Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink to co-chair the first Vietnam-US Energy Security Dialogue in Hanoi. Government representatives and technical experts from both countries exchanged views on the challenges and opportunities to strengthen energy security and sustainable economic growth in Vietnam. Vice Minister Hoang Quoc Vuong shared that by 2035, the total final energy demand in Vietnam is expected to increase 2.5 times compared to 2015. To ensure energy security, Vietnam will need to deploy advanced renewable energy and energy efficient technologies while continuing to develop reliable sources of oil and natural gas. This approach offers U.S. businesses ample opportunities to contribute to Vietnam’s energy security.

So What? As USAID works to transform the energy sector in Vietnam, the first energy security dialogue strengthened the US-Vietnam partnership on energy sector development and identified several business opportunities.