The United Kingdom and Vietnam have reinforced their commitment to tackling irregular migration by signing a joint communiqué during the third annual UK-Vietnam Migration Dialogue in
Hanoi on 4 March.
The agreement builds upon existing collaborative efforts to prevent the exploitation of irregular migrants, disrupt criminal networks, enhance intelligence sharing, and facilitate the return of individuals without legal status in the UK.
Key areas of cooperation
The joint communiqué outlines several commitments to strengthen bilateral cooperation in migration management:
- Preventing and Addressing Irregular Migration
Implementing targeted deterrence campaigns
Raising awareness of legal migration pathways
Enhancing joint efforts to combat human trafficking
- Strengthening Law Enforcement Collaboration
Increasing operational cooperation in law enforcement
Engaging with transit countries to prevent irregular migration
Sharing intelligence on human trafficking networks
Disrupting organized criminal activities linked to migration crimes
- Facilitating the Return of Irregular Migrants
Expediting the issuance of travel documents for returnees
Exploring additional measures to improve repatriation processes
Establishing regular working groups to enhance cooperation on returns
Both governments reaffirmed their commitment to this strong bilateral partnership and pledged to review progress at the next UK-Vietnam Migration Dialogue, which will be hosted by the UK in 2026. Photo by Edwardx, Wikimedia commons.