Ambassador Thomas Gass is visiting Can Tho city for a business trip to attend the Sustainable Development Workshop in the Mekong River Basin. He aims to understand the impact of climate change and learn about the city’s response strategy for future climate change issues. The ambassador will also review the coordination of activities from Swiss partners who are supporting Can Tho’s sustainable development.
Ambassador Thomas Gass mentioned that Switzerland is actively involved in the establishment of the Mekong River Commission. Through various ongoing projects, Switzerland has been providing support to downstream localities like Can Tho to enhance their climate change adaptation efforts in the city’s core area.
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| Leaders of Can Tho city (right) and the Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam discussed during the reception. |
Nguyen Thuc Hien, in his conversation with the Ambassador, shared that Can Tho City has been receiving active support from Swiss partners such as the Dariu Foundation and VMA Organization for non-governmental projects related to education and health.
Regarding official development assistance (ODA) projects, Can Tho also received support from Switzerland for the implementation of Component 3 of the Can Tho City Development Project. This support aims to enhance urban adaptability and it is funded by the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. The total capital for this funded project amounts to 254 million USD.
Several projects have been completed, including the construction of protective embankments along the Can Tho River and the Cai Son – Muong Khai embankment. These projects contribute to flood prevention for the urban core area.
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| The delegations are attending the meeting. |
Tidal culverts have also been constructed to prevent high tides from entering the inner city area during flood seasons. Additionally, the completion of the Quang Trung Bridge and Tran Hoang Na Street projects has helped reduce traffic congestion and improve convenient travel for the people.
Nguyen Thuc Hien expressed that during Ambassador Thomas Gass’s visit to Can Tho, he will introduce Swiss partners and investors who can provide support to the city in projects related to climate change response and high-tech agriculture development.
At the same time, the Ambassador will address concerns about saline intrusion and landslides, particularly regarding the negative impact of upstream dams on the Mekong Delta, including Can Tho city.
In 2024, Can Tho plans to organize a working delegation to visit Switzerland and meet with several partners. They will also attend the Vietnam – Switzerland Economic Forum organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in Switzerland.
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