Of these, he stressed the strategic partnership between the two sides in sustainable agriculture, food security and climate change and water resources management.
At the reception, Mr. Nhan said that HCMC is facing challenges from sea level rise and the annual depression of one centimeter. Hence, the city must find long term solutions to cope with the issues and stabilize residents’ lives.
He hoped that long term cooperation agreements with the Netherlands, where the majority of area are below sea level, will help the city solve the above challenges.
Moreover, sustainable management and use of water resources is a topic of interest in HCMC. The city does need to learn the Netherlands’ experience in the field and cooperate with the country in smart city development.
Mr. Carel Richter said that not only HCMC but also his country has been facing challenges from climate change. He affirmed willingness of sharing experience and working with HCMC to tackle the issues.
In the scheduled visit of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to Vietnam and HCMC in early April, climate change adaption will be among items of the PM’s agenda.
Aside from that, the Netherlands is very interested in economic, trade and investment cooperation with HCMC, the consult general said.
About 200 Dutch enterprises are expected to invest in HCMC in the next five years. Hence, Mr. Carel Richter said that economic cooperation will be a content which Prime Minister Mark Ruttle will refer to in the coming visit to HCMC.
