Mai expressed his delight at the great contributions that the UNDP has made to Vietnam over the past 45 years through its support in completing institution and policies as well as development programmes, especially in social areas.
Ho Chi Minh City is the economic hub of Vietnam with a high level of openness, and the city needs information sharing and support from the UNDP to enhance its resilience against outside factors as well as the adaptation capacity of the local economy, he said.
Besides, the city hopes to coordinate with the UNDP in areas of the city’s demands, including improving governance capacity, dealing with challenges in urban management, coping with climate change, and strengthening waste treatment, he said.
Mai underlined that the city pays special attention to energy and circular economy, expressing his hope for more assistance from the UNDP in these fields.
For her part, Ramla Khalidi said she is impressed by the dynamic development and pioneering role of Ho Chi Minh City in many areas. She said that the fruitful cooperation outcomes between the UNDP and the city will pave the way for the growth bilateral partnership in the future.
The UNDP has been present in Vietnam right after the war ended in the country, assisting Vietnam in overcoming war aftermaths and promoting its national construction and development over the past 45 years, she noted.
The official said that interests and priorities of the city are also those of the UNDP in Vietnam currently, especially those in sustainable development, net-zero emission, and social development.
This shows that cooperation opportunities between UNDP and Ho Chi Minh City, especially in prioritised areas such as circular economy, waste treatment, green transition and public governance, are abundant, she said.
Khalidi stressed that her organisation is ready to cooperate with Ho Chi Minh City to strengthen discussions at the technical level, thus turning the potential of bilateral cooperation into specific and practical projects.
