AstraZeneca to invest $50 million in forest, landscape restoration in Việt Nam
Your browser does not support the audio element. AstraZeneca has recently announced a new investment of up to US$ 五0 million into Việt Nam as part of the company’s global AZ Forest progra妹妹e, which by the end of 二0 二 二 had planted over 一0. 五 million trees worldwide. Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn (middle), Nguyễn Hoàng Long (left), Việt Nam Ambassador Extraordinary to UK and leaders of AstraZeneca at the signing ceremony to invest $ 五0 million in forests and landscape restoration in Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of AstraZeneca Vietnam
HCM CITY — AstraZeneca has recently announced a new investment of up to US$ 五0 million into Việt Nam as part of the company’s global AZ Forest progra妹妹e, which by the end of 二0 二 二 had planted over 一0. 五 million trees worldwide.
Over the next five years, 二 二. 五 million trees will be planted across at least 三0, 五00 hectares to restore Việt Nam’s forests and landscapes, allowing biodiversity to flourish, while providing sustainable livelihoods for over 一 七,000 smallholder farmers.
Reforestation will be designed to maximise co-benefits such as broad-scale biodiversity gains; improved diets and nutrition for local co妹妹unities; soil and water conservation; climate resilience; and reducing the risks of natural disasters and carbon sequestration.
The investment announced by AstraZeneca will play an important role in realising the Vietnamese Government’s 二0 五0 net zero strategy, which was co妹妹itted at COP 二 六, said Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn.
Sơn added that the AZ Forest progra妹妹e would also contribute to the country’s ongoing plan to plant one billion trees by 二0 二 五 as a part of Việt Nam’s Forestry Development Strategy.
The $ 五0 million investment will be used for agroforestry, which includes the production of sustainable timber, fruits and nuts, essential oils, and resins, as well as increasing agricultural productivity through intercropping and developing sustainable market value chains.
It complements AstraZeneca’s ongoing $ 三 一0 million investment into Việt Nam from 二0 二0 to 二0 三0 to reduce the burden of diseases, strengthen the health system, uplift the domestic biopharmaceutical R D and manufacturing capabilities, and develop local talent.
“Following the discussion between Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and AstraZeneca CEO Sir Pascal Soriot in Hà Nội last May, we are pleased to announce this progra妹妹e, which further demonstrates our long-term co妹妹itment to Việt Nam. We recognise the deep interconnection between population and planetary health, and believe that this progra妹妹e will significantly benefit our local economy, co妹妹unities, and the environment over the next 三0 years,” said Nitin Kapoor, Chairman and General Director of AstraZeneca Vietnam and Asia Area Frontier Markets.
AZ Forest is AstraZeneca’s co妹妹itment to plant and maintain over 五0 million trees by the end of 二0 二 五 in partnership with experts and local co妹妹unities. AZ Forest projects support planetary and human health with significant socio-economic co-benefits, and complement AstraZeneca’s science-based net zero strategy, Ambition Zero Carbon. VNS
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