WATERDAY 27-10-2010 AND THE WORKSHOP “Integrated Water Resources Management in Vietnam and Germany”

In the framework of “Germany in Vietnam in 2010” the workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management was co-organized in Goethe-Institut Hanoi by Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Reservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany (BMU), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany (BMZ) and the Vietnam-Germany Scientific and Technological Cooperation Office for Water and Environmental Technology. It was also for the celebration of the Water Day 27-10-2010.

The purpose of the workshop was to enhance the protection and management of water resources in a sustainable way, protecting people’s health as well as restoring and maintaining the ecosystems. Besides, the workshop pushed the seeking of investment opportunities for foreign partners as well as seeking funds for the action programs of integrated water resources management in Vietnam.

The workshop attracted the attention of more than 100 participants including high ranking officials from the two countries such as the Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dr. Nguyen Thai Lai, Dr. Fritz Holzwarth from the BMU, the Ambassador of Germany in Vietnam Mr. Rolf Schulze and many other officials from water related agencies from Vietnam and Germany.

BGR and CWRPI also attended the workshop and the exhibition, which was held in parallel with the Workshop. The show of IGPVN project activities through posters, flyers and direct explanations from the experts gathers the attention of many people including experts and students working in water resources sector. The Invest TV channel was particularly interested in the Project and would like to make a report about the Project.

The Workshop has provided a plenty of meaningful information concerning water management of the both countries. Dr. Fritz Holzwarth expressed his satisfaction about the event saying that the Workshop was a big success in the bilateral cooperation and that we both learned useful lessons about each other.

Currently, the issues of particular interest in water resources management are the appropriate planning tools, effective economic instruments (water charges and sewage charges) and the involvement of public opinion. Besides, the improvement of information exchanges and the participation of stakeholders play an essential and decisive role in the Integrated Water Resources Management in Vietnam.