DUTCH EXPERTS TEAM WORK VISIT IN VIETNAM IN MARCH 2024

In March, a team of Dutch experts from various water authorities revisited Vietnam as part of the Blue Dragon Programme, the local name for the Blue Deal partnership. Here's an update on their activities:

GIS Training
From March 11th to 13th, the first GIS training session was held, marking a significant milestone with over 60 participants from all 12 provinces in the Mekong Delta. Led by Hannes Versteegh in collaboration with Can Tho University, the training was a resounding success and is set to continue in May. This initiative is part of the KIWI programme, a Dutch educational effort in which Mr. Hannes Versteegh is actively involved.

Pilot Nature-Based Solutions for Dike Reinforcement
The team also visited a potential pilot project site for dike reinforcement using nature-based solutions. The site, located in Kien Giang province—one of the programme's key partners—has been heavily impacted by river erosion. Local residents currently rely on makeshift constructions to combat this issue. The team explored the use of local natural materials and vegetation, such as grasses and woven water hyacinth mats, to reinforce the riverbank. Discussions were held with the province and Royal HaskoningDHV on how to collaboratively implement this pilot project.

Final Week of Asset Management, Maintenance & Operations Training
From March 18th to 21st, the final week of Asset Management, Maintenance & Operations training took place, led by Mr. Robin de Bekker from the Drents Overijsselse Delta Water Authority and Mr. Marcel van Zutphen from Vechtstromen Water Authority. In addition to 20 participants from the three partner provinces, four Dutch students—currently working as interns at Can Tho University as part of their Water Management studies—also attended. On March 20th, the group visited a high-water protection sluice as part of their training.

Expansion of the Partnership
During the same week, two partnership managers Mrs. Birgitte de Kraker from De Dommel Water Authority and Mr. Tjeerd Dijkstra from Vechtstromen Water Authority visited three new provinces—An Giang, Vinh Long, and Soc Trang—to further expand the Blue Dragon Programme. The new provinces expressed strong enthusiasm about joining the initiative and have begun the process of obtaining approval from their respective provincial People’s Committees. They also held discussions with existing partners to strengthen ongoing collaborations.

Sources: Blue Deal