Vietnam and the Netherlands strengthen cooperation in water management and climate change adaptation...

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said: Cooperation between the two countries has been very active in recent times at many levels, from state management to enterprises and non-governmental organizations. The two governments have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in sustainable agricultural transformation in the Mekong Delta. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has established a Steering Committee for the Program on Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in the Mekong Delta. Based on the Memorandum of Understanding and the content of Resolution 120 of the Government, the MARD is actively coordinating with the Dutch partner to implement this Memorandum of Understanding and coordinate/integrate with similar projects in the Mekong Delta region.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep speaks at the meeting

Ms. Meike van Ginneken said: 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Netherlands in water management and climate change adaptation. The good cooperation between the two countries is also demonstrated through the cooperation between institutes, schools and businesses. Above all, the people of both countries benefit from this cooperation.

Netherlands Special Envoy for Water Ms. Meike van Ginneken

Ms. Meike van Ginneken expressed her hope that this cooperation will be sustainable and long-term, in which the water sector is the "backbone" of the cooperation. The water sector is the pride of the Netherlands, and the sharing of knowledge on the water sector between the two sides is expected to bring concrete results.

Discussing the Mekong Delta Master Plan, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said: This plan takes water resources as the center of planning other sectors. Water resources are not only fresh water but also include brackish water and salt water, all of which are considered resources. We divide the Mekong Delta into three fresh, brackish and salt water regions corresponding to the upper, middle and coastal regions. Agricultural production is also implemented according to this division.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said that to implement the Master Plan for the Mekong Delta region, very specific plans are needed. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is developing a Project to prevent and combat subsidence, landslides, flooding, drought, and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta region until 2035, with a vision to 2050, or to have programs for migration and resettlement in areas likely to experience landslides and subsidence in the future, or a comprehensive program for planting mangrove forests in the Mekong Delta region.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep proposed that the Netherlands continue to provide technical support and mobilize more resources from investors/donors/development partners to the Mekong Delta region in particular and Vietnam in general to join hands in implementing the Sustainable Agricultural Transformation Plan in the Mekong Delta region; Closely coordinate with Vietnam to prepare and soon implement the project "Restoring mangrove forests and climate change resilience in the Mekong Delta"; Consider funding the project "Research and testing solutions to prevent and combat coastal erosion in the Ca Mau peninsula - Mekong Delta".

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep proposed that the Netherlands continue to provide technical support to the Ministry's schools/institutes in the field of water management and solutions to prevent landslides, rising sea levels and adapt to climate change. In addition, the two sides will continue to closely coordinate to prepare content for the upcoming government meeting on water management and climate change adaptation.