Dutch Water Envoy’s visit to Vietnam: Strengthening Partnerships on Water Management and Climate Change Adaptation - Vietnam

Dutch Water Envoy’s visit to Vietnam: Strengthening Partnerships on Water Management and Climate Change Adaptation

News item | 08-11-2024 | 07:55

From 4–7 November 2024, the Dutch Water Envoy, Ms. Meike van Ginneken, visited Vietnam to deepen the partnership between the Netherlands and Vietnam in addressing water management and climate change challenges. 2025 will mark the 15th anniversary of the strategic partnership arrangement between Vietnam and the Netherlands in these fields.

Throughout her visit, Ms. van Ginneken met with Vietnamese officials, SMEs, development partners, and local communities to discuss shared water challenges and solutions. The Water Envoy met with Vietnam's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to discuss bilateral cooperation in water management and climate adaptation, especially in the Mekong Delta. This region holds special significance for both countries as a focus area for ongoing collaborations and solutions. Some of the notable examples are the Mekong Delta Plan, sustainable groundwater extraction, nature-based solutions with mangrove restoration and mangrove aquaculture, or sustainable offshore sand sourcing, which were also presented at the Vietwater 2024 Conference during Ms. van Ginneken's keynote speech on November 6, "Dutch-Vietnamese Water Solutions in Vietnam & the Mekong Delta," emphasizing the role of the private sector.

Photo: MARD

Photo: EKN

On 4 and 5 November, the Water Envoy met with representatives of international development partners such as the World Bank, ADB, AFD, GIZ, and IUCN in Hanoi and WWF, SNV-DFCD, and Cimate Fund Managers (CFM) in Ho Chi Minh City to foster meaningful conversations about financing and building a sustainable, climate-resilient future for all.

"Seeing is Believing"

During her visit, Ms. Meike van Ginneken also met with private sector partners and explored water management and climate adaptation projects in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. This visit highlighted the critical role of private sector initiatives in turning government policies into practical successes.

The projects showcased included urban infrastructure improvements and nature-based solutions to reduce flooding, erosion, and land subsidence - all while enhancing biodiversity. Other highlights included innovative uses of mangroves to support aquaculture and sustainable methods for farmers to tackle saltwater intrusion and water scarcity.

Photo: EKN

The Water Envoy enjoyed a boat trip along the Sai Gon River, observing nature-based flood risk management initiatives in Thu Duc City, HCMC, with the support of a consortium led by RHDHV. Ms. van Ginneken then travelled to Tra Vinh province to visit the Mekong Salt Lab, a project focused on combating salt water intrusion and supporting famers’ livelihoods in the Mekong Delta - a joint effort by The Water Agency, Tra Vinh University, Kim Delta Vietnam, The Salt Doctors, SkillEd, Saxion University Water Technology, HZ University of Applied Sciences and Acacia Water. She also toured the "Mangrove Support Aquaculture" project, an initiative by Larive International, Van Oord Ocean Health and RYNAN Technologies, showcasing mangroves as natural filters for aquaculture wastewater.

Supported by Partners for Water, these projects emphasize the vital role of the private sector in sustainable water management and the Netherlands’ commitment to sharing expertise in climate adaptation.