KICK OFF MEETING OF THE BLUE DRAGON PROGRAM

After two years’ postponement due to the covid pandemic, The BLUE DRAGON Program has officially started with the kick off meeting on 10 June 2022. 

It was such a pleasure to the program to welcome the presence of our Vietnamese and Dutch partners and other precious delegates: 

·       Mr Pham Truong Yen Vice Director Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Can Tho City

·       Mr Dang Ngoc Giao Vice Director Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Hau Giang Province

·       Mr Trinh Nam Trung Vice Director Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Kien Giang Province

·       Prof. PhD Trần Ngọc Hải Vice Director of Can Tho University

·       Mrs Nettie Aarnink Executive board member Water Authority Vechtstromen – Dutch Water Authorities.

·       Especially, the representative of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Mr Laurent Umans - First Secretary Water Management and Climate Change.

Through the meeting, we had a great chance to introduce Dutch Water Authorities, a core Dutch partner of the program. The Dutch Water Authorities are public authorities responsible for flood protection, regional water management and urban wastewater treatment. The 21 water authorities are united in Dutch Water Authorities (DWA) which acts as one body of expertise for international cooperation. Besides, the Blue Dragon Program, and our upcoming activities, including the planning of Phase 2 of the program were informed to all participants. Also, Vietnamese and Dutch partners had open conversation with the partners to get better understanding each other.

On this occasion, the Cần Thơ University sincerely express their intention in making all favorable conditions to promote the long-term cooperative relationship between the partners of the two countries Vietnam and the Netherlands within the framework of the program, thereby creating a solid foundation for other cooperative relationships between the two countries in the future.

On the other hand, becoming Vietnamese partners of the program, our main Vietnamese partners are excited to exchange, learn more experiences, find solutions to problems and challenges in water resource management, infrastructure management, and access to climate change adaptation experiences from Dutch Water Authorities experts. This in order to improve the capacity on climate change adaption related to water resources in their region, towards the common goal ensuring clean, sufficient and safe water in Mekong Delta.

Memorandum of Understanding Ceremony

Last but not least, Dutch Water Authorities and Can Tho University together signed the Memorandum of Understanding to underline their good relationship, fruitful cooperation and mutual understanding to further set up and implement the BLUE DRAGON Program.

Closing the meeting, all partners expressed the wish that this partnership will achieve the expected results and be a great success.