At the reception, the deputy PM underlined the long-term strategic partnership between the two countries in climate change response and water resources management, and expressed his appreciation for the Netherlands’ long-standing cooperation with Viet Nam in related projects, especially in the Mekong Delta.
Given the high demand for construction sand for transport infrastructure and socio-economic development projects, Ha said Dutch enterprises, with their technology and expertise in exploiting and processing marine sand into construction material, could help determine sustainable extraction costs and capacities for Viet Nam’s marine sand mines, thereby providing sustainable building materials.
He also hoped the European nation would share its “Sand Motor” model – a method for studying the impacts of waves, tides, and currents on the movement and shape of sand formations in coastal areas, so that Viet Nam could apply it directly to both protect the environment and meet development needs.
The Deputy PM further proposed that the two sides strengthen cooperation in water resource management and planning, such as irrigation works in Viet Nam’s Red River basin, to retain water during the dry season, prevent saltwater intrusion, and secure freshwater for major urban areas in the Southeast Asian country.
Ambassador Kees van Baar affirmed that the Netherlands will work with several international organisations to support Viet Nam in sustainable water resource management, environmental impact assessment, knowledge and experience sharing, and provision of both grant aid and loans.
