Ministry partners with French agency in sustainable urban development
The Ministry of Construction and the French Development Agency (AFD) have signed a cooperation agreement to help Vietnamese cities build climate change resilience.
The agreement signing ceremony in Hanoi on May 12. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Construction and theFrench Development Agency (AFD) have signed a cooperation agreement to helpVietnamese cities build climate change resilience.
The two sides will step up their traditional partnership insupport of sustainable urban development and resilience, especially promotingthe implementation of the commitments made at the 26th UN ClimateChange Conference (COP26) through technical assistance projects on climate-resilienturban development, smart city building, and urban development investment.
In this agreement, they also identified cooperationpriorities for the 2022 - 2023 and 2024 - 2027 periods.
Addressing the signing ceremony in Hanoi on May 12, Ministerof Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi appreciated the AFD’s contributions to localdevelopment, particularly in construction and urban planning, and highly valuedits cooperation pledges, including helping the country realise its COP26commitments.
The ministry’s agencies will discuss with the AFD practical cooperationorientations that match both sides’ tasks, attention and wishes, he noted.
AFD Executive Director Philippe Orliange said his agency’s activitiesin Vietnam matched the French Government’s cooperation priorities in thecountry, adding the AFD is also orienting its activities towards implementingthe commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Hepointed out that although urban development has considerably contributed to theVietnamese economy, urbanisation may also cause certain risks, making citiesmore vulnerable. Given this, the important thing is how to achieve harmonybetween urban growth and climate change adaptation.
Cities, and localities in general, need active support fromthe Construction Ministry to implement the programmes, plans and measures forclimate change mitigation and adaptation, Orliange added.
For his part, French Ambassador Nicolas Warnery spoke highlyof the Vietnamese Prime Minister’s commitments at COP26, which will greatlycontribute to global efforts against climate change.
He added the French Government wishes to assist theVietnamese Government to carry out the commitments and translate them intoconcrete projects so that people benefit from the pledges./.
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The agreement signing ceremony in Hanoi on May 12. (Photo: VNA) 
