VN, Netherlands convene 7th meeting of Inter-gov't Committee on climate change adaptation, water management

Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung and Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora van Nieuwenhuizen co-chair the seventh meeting of the Viet Nam – Netherlands Inter-Governmental Committee on climate change adaptation and water management, Ha Noi, April 9, 2019 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Vietnamese Deputy PM expressed his delight at the two nations’ friendship and cooperative relations in all fields of politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, education-training, science-technology, agriculture and the environment. 

Deputy PM Dung extended his thanks to the Dutch Government, ministries, agencies and specialists for their support and contributions to Viet Nam’s sustainable development in the context of responding to climate change and effective management and use of water resources. 

The Vietnamese Government has made efforts and is willing to join hands with the international community in realizing international commitments in coping with climate change, he asserted. 

However, the nation is facing huge challenges caused by climate change, saltwater intrusion, land subsidence and difficulties in monitoring and exploiting water resources, which affect the nation’s socio-economic development. 

He expected that the Netherlands will share experience with Viet Nam in establishing effective inter-branch and inter-regional coordination apparatus as well as help the Southeast Asian nation launch water resources and environmental protection planning, prevent river bank erosion, coastline, sea encroachment and land subsidence and respond to climate change at urban areas and develop renewable energy. 

The Vietnamese leader proposed the two sides exchange and review policies in the strategic partnership agreement on climate change adaptation and water management and evaluate the implementation of main cooperative contents inked at previous meetings and propose new cooperative activities in the next period. 

The Vietnamese Government continues affirming the high commitments on the strategic partnership agreement and directs ministries and agencies to further promote the bilateral relationship, he asserted. 

According to the working program, delegates updated the implementation of the strategic partnership agreement on climate change adaptation and water management and cooperative contents in the Minutes of the sixth meeting. 

Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the meeting, Deputy PM Dung and Minister Cora Van Nieuwenhuizen reaffirmed the strong commitments of the two Governments to continue practical and effective realization of the Strategic Partnership agreement on climate change adaption and water management, making it a crucial pillar of the two nations’ comprehensive partnership.

The content will also be referred at the talks between PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Dutch counterpart this evening, with the aim of upgrading the two nations’ relationship to a higher level and more intensively. 

The two sides proposed new cooperative opportunities, such as the Orange Knowledge Program (OKP), the Development Related Infrastructure Investment Vehicle (DRIVE) instead of the Facility for Infrastructure Development ORIO to reduce interest for preferential loans sponsored by the Dutch Government for Viet Nam and a pilot project on prevention of plastic waste on rivers in the Mekong Delta in the southern city of Can Tho.

Ms. Cora Van Nieuwenhuizen asserted her willingness to join hands with Viet Nam and development partners to enhance sustainable development in the Mekong Delta.

The two leaders consented to promote new cooperative contents in fields of water resource management, adjusting livelihoods towards high quality agricultural production, harbor system development and planning, protection of coastal areas and evaluation and addressing impacts of climate change on urban system.

After signing the Minutes of the seventh meeting, the two sides witnessed the signing of Letter of intent of cooperation between the Viet Nam Academy for Water Resources and the Dutch Embassy, an agreement between the Ha Noi University of Natural Resources and Environment and Viet Nam University of Irrigation and Delft University and Twente University.

By Thuy Dung