Vietnam is a delta country with which the Netherlands would especially like to cooperate in water resource management and addressing climate change, an official from the Netherlands said on Oct. 5.

Tineke Huizinga, Vice Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management of the Netherlands , made the remark at the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between officials from Vietnam’s Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Natural Resources and Environment with the Dutch ministry.

The Dutch Vice Minister, who is on a Vietnam visit from Oct. 5-10, said the cooperation will focus on coastal zones and river basin management in the Mekong delta.

The Mekong delta, which is considered as a key economic zone in Vietnam , is facing major challenges from complicated environmental conditions—conditions which are also common in the Netherlands .

So, the two countries together will draw up a road map for climate adaptation measures in the Mekong River Delta.

Previously, Vietnam and the Netherlands signed a MoU on cooperation in coastal zone and water resources management, which is to expire by the end of this year.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dao Xuan Hoc thanked the Dutch Government’s assistance to Vietnam , particularly in agricultural development and irrigation.

He said his ministry is working with the Dutch Embassy on a bilateral cooperation programme that aims at building capacity for officials in the Mekong delta in the building of a regional climate adaptation strategy.

The delegation of the Dutch Vice Minister also includes more than 30 businessmen and representatives from Dutch universities and research institutes to seek cooperation opportunities with Vietnamese partners.

During the visit, the Dutch Embassy plans to sign an agreement with the Vietnamese agencies on flood prevention, and a letter of intent in the establishment of an institute on climate change and water resource management./.