The Hague (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and DutchMinister of Infrastructure and Water Management Mark Harbers co-chaired theeighth meeting of the Vietnam-Netherlands Inter-Governmental Committee onclimate change adaptation and water management on June 27 in The Hague.

Deputy PM Ha expressed his delight at positive developmentof the bilateral relations, including the strategic partnership on climatechange adaptation and water management.

According to him, since the seventh meeting in March 2019,despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have actively implemented 19bilateral cooperation contents, of which 10 have been completed, notably theMekong River Delta Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with avision to 2050; the Mekong River Basin general planning for the 2021-2030 period,with a vision to 2050, together with the establishment of a Regional CoordinatingCouncil on the basis of the recommendations of the Mekong Delta Plan (MDP).

Ha thanked the Netherlands for its active and effective contributions to Vietnam’s sustainable socio-economic development, hoping toreceive the country’s support in the fields of green transition, renewableenergy, water resource management and climate change response.

The two sides conducted a strategic policy dialogue on climatechange response and water management, updated on related policies and priorityactivities of both Vietnam and the Netherlands.

The Vietnamese side made specific cooperation proposals inthe priority areas of climate change response, water management, greenagriculture, circular economy, flood management, seaports, digitaltransformation, and human resources training. The Dutch side acknowledged theproposals, affirming that it will continue coordinating with relevant agenciesof Vietnam.

They agreed on new potential cooperation contents for thecoming period, including the signing of a Joint Cooperation Plan in the fieldof sustainable offshore sand mining on this occasion.

The two sides then signed the Minutes of the 8th meeting, andagreed that the next one will be held in Vietnam with the specific date to be decidedthrough diplomatic channels.

Deputy PM Ha then had a meeting with Prince Jaime de Bourbonde Parme, Climate Envoy of the Netherlands, during which he affirmed Vietnamalways attaches importance to promoting its comprehensive partnership with theNetherlands and wishes to work with the nation to deepen the strategicpartnership framework on climate change adaptation and sustainable agriculture.

Speaking highly of the Prince’s experience and role as the ClimateEnvoy, Ha showed his hope that the Prince will encourage Dutch businesses totransfer technology and invest in the fields of climate change adaptation, greenhousegas emission reduction, energy transition, digital transformation, and smartinfrastructure construction in Vietnam; and support the development ofregulations and provide financial assistance to facilitate the country’sclimate change adaptation.

The Netherlands’s Climate Envoy appreciated Vietnam’s strongcommitments to climate change response, as well as its active and responsibleparticipation in the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact held recently inFrance. He stressed maintaining support for Vietnam in implementating theMekong Delta Planning, and completing a legal framework on water management andenergy transition.

On this occasion, the two sides exchanged views on regionaland international issues of mutual concern. The Prince appreciated Vietnam'sforeign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification andmultilateralisation of relations and its settlement of disputes by peaceful means on thebasis of international law.

Also within the framework of his working visit to theNetherlands, Ha visited the Invest International Fund,the Green Hydrogen Centre and the Global Center on Adaptation in the Port ofRotterdam.

On June 27 afternoon, the Deputy PM left the Netherlands forHanoi, concluding his working visit to the European nation./.