The event was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai andDutch Minister of Infrastructure and Environment Melanie Schultz vanHaegen.
The Dutch side presented the progress ofthe Netherlands Initiative on Capacity Development in Higher Education(NICHE) - Nufic programme and the UNESCO – IHE doctorate training coursein the Mekong Delta, which will serve as a foundation to establishwater research institutes in the future.
Theyagreed to help increase the capacity of Hanoi University of NaturalResources and Environment and discussed views on business developmentand establishing a business forum.
Additionally,Dutch experts presented preliminary recommendations for the Mekong DeltaPlan (MDP) and the main outcomes of the project on developing Ho ChiMinh City towards the sea, thereby gathering opinions to finalise theMDP, furthering the HCM City development project as well asseeking out other long-term measures in response to climate change.
A joint project on water services and climate will start in early2013. The MDP and a project on moving HCM City towards the sea arealso expected to get underway in the period, the officials agreed.
A post-graduate education project majoring in water management,climate change adaptation and agricultural ecology systems in Vietnamwill continue.
The countries agreed to increasebilateral trade and business exchange in water management. Inparticular, capital cities Hanoi and Amsterdam will enhancecooperation in water management, general environment in Hanoi anddevise plans to respond to climate change in the Red River .
Following the meeting, the two sides signed a memorandum ofunderstanding on dredging small-scale irrigation canals, maritimecooperation and waterway dredging./.