BLUE DRAGON PROGRAM MISSION IN JUNE 2025

Greeting and Program Updates with the Dutch Consulate General

The delegation began their visit with an official meeting with the Dutch Consulate General. This meeting was crucial for sharing updates on the progress of the BDP and reaffirming the support from the Consulate for the program's continuation through 2025 and beyond. The discussions highlighted the mutual commitment to the program's goals and the importance of ongoing collaboration.

Meetings with Departments of Agriculture and Environment – Can Tho & Kien Giang

Key meetings were held with the Departments of Agriculture and Environment (DAE) from Can Tho and Kien Giang provinces. During these sessions, agreements were reached on updating the Letter of Intent (LOI) to ensure the smooth implementation of BDP activities under the new governance conditions. The discussions also covered the continuation of various activities planned for 2025, including a field trip to the Netherlands, training pools, Blue Dragon Day, a Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) community workshop, a Water Governance Assessment, and a Midterm Review. Planning for 2026 was also initiated.

Progress Update on Nature-Based Solution Embankment Pilot –Kien Giang

A significant portion of the visit was dedicated to discussing the progress of the Nature-Based Solution Embankment Pilot in  Kien Giang. Key milestones were agreed upon, including the completion of the Detailed Design Phase within 2025, the issuance of decisions for counterpart contributions and the implementation of construction within the same year, and the actual construction to be completed by 2026.

Signing of Updated Letter of Intent at Hau Giang

The visit culminated in the signing of an updated Letter of Intent between the BDP and the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hau Giang province. 

Following this mission will be another activities include implementing the field trip to the Netherlands for Pools participants, finalizing the updated Letters of Intent with all partner provinces, completing the paperwork for the Kien Giang pilot, organizing Training Pool 5 GIS in July 2025 and Pool 6 Waste Water Treatment in the fourth quarter of 2025, and hosting the Blue Dragon Day and NBS community events related to the embankment pilot. Additionally, the Water Governance Assessment and Midterm Review will be carried out.

The successful meetings and agreements reached during this visit ensure that the program will continue to thrive and achieve its goals under the new governance conditions.