The Netherlands and Ho Chi Minh City can cooperate and share experience in urban flooding prevention as both sides are accelerating efforts in flood control, Vincent Karremans, vice mayor of Rotterdam, the Netherlands said on Thursday during his three-day working visit to the southern Vietnamese metropolis.   

The visit, starting on Wednesday by Vice Mayor Karremans and a group of leading Dutch businesses, is aimed to enhance collaboration on climate adaptation and port development, according to the Facebook page of the official Facebook page of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Vietnam.

Vice mayor of Rotterdam, Netherlands Vincent Karremans (L, 2nd) and other officials are seen during their visit to the Sala Residential Area & Park in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam on June 6, 2024. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

The two sides will also share innovative solutions to strengthen cities’ resilience and sustainability. 

This is the first trip by the Rotterdam administration to the city since the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in climate change adaptation, water resources management and port development on July 31, 2023. 

As part of the visit, Karremans and his entourage made a field trip to the flood risk management project in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, on Thursday morning.

They were accompanied by Dutch Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Daniël Stork and representatives of the Thu Duc administration. 

This important project is part of the Ho Chi Minh City-World Bank Cooperation Program, with financial support from the government of the Netherlands for technical analysis through the Water Partnership Program, according to the Facebook page.

Vice mayor of Rotterdam, Netherlands Vincent Karremans (R, 2nd) looks at a sheet showing details of the flood risk management project in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam, on June 6, 2024. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

They also called at Tam Phu Wetland Park and Sala Residential Area & Park in Thu Duc. 

Meeting local officials during the visits, vice mayor Karremans commented that the Netherlands and Ho Chi Minh City are both making efforts to ease urban flooding, so the two sides can cooperate with and learn from each other in this field.

The two sides can also share about climate change response, Karremans said, stressing that the Dutch delegation came here to share its expertise and learn experience from local concerned agencies.

As the world is having to cope with climate change, the cooperation between Rotterdam and Ho Chi Minh City in this field is very important, the official said.

He added that the Netherlands can learn a lot from climate change adaptation projects in Ho Chi Minh City given their large scales.

Dutch Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Daniël Stork (L) and vice mayor of Rotterdam, Netherlands Vincent Karremans – wearing non la, a Vietnamese traditional hat – pose for a photo during their field trip to Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam, on June 6, 2024. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

Rotterdam has had to deal with water problems for centuries, as the city has 85 percent of its area located below sea levels.

Every time there is heavy rain, water must be pumped out, he said, adding that Rotterdam also had to invest heavily in coastal reinforcement to prevent flooding.

The Netherlands spends billions of dollars every year on coastal fortification, which is an important solution, otherwise Rotterdam and the Netherlands in general will be flooded.

Therefore, investments in flood prevention must be made on time at the right time and in the right place to optimize their efficiency both in terms of timing and adaptability, Karremans advised.

On Friday morning, vice mayor Karremans had a meeting with the Ho Chi Minh City administration to discuss the implementation of cooperation agreements in the aforementioned MoU.

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