The project aims at decreasing the vulnerability of five cities to climate hazards. This signature occurs in the context of recent devastating natural disasters in central Vietnam, illustrating the importance of this type of project to build the long-term resilience of territories.
With a EUR 5 million grant from the European Union (EU), a EUR 123 million ODA loan from AFD and EUR 28 million from provincial budgets, the CRUIV project will benefit five secondary cities in the north-central region of Vietnam: Phat Diem in Ninh Binh province, Ngoc Lac in Thanh Hoa province, Hoang Mai in Nghe An province, Huong Khe and Thach Ha in Ha Tinh province, all of which are at risk of being exposed to severe flooding.
The main objective is to increase the resilience to natural disasters and climate change of those five localities and their populations. Central Vietnam has been exposed to meteorological hazards for a long time.
The last two months have been particularly critical, with consecutive tropical storms and typhoons in the region. These natural disasters have caused dramatic impacts on the region and local people. In the context of climate change, extreme weather events could increase in intensity and frequency. Thus, the CRUIV project meets an urgent need for climate adaptation and is part of the necessary long-term investments for vulnerable territories, to improve their climate resilience, prevent damages and save lives and resources. The CRUIV project aims particularly at:
∙ Enhancing the safety and security of individuals and reducing material losses caused by floods through the improvement of flood risk prevention infrastructure, such as reinforced drainage networks and protection dikes
∙ Upgrading service roads, especially those allowing effective evacuations and rescue operations for people directly affected by natural disasters
∙ Developing and organizing wastewater collection and treatment in order to improve the local environment
∙ Strengthening the capacities of urban administrations and agencies to ensure the investments’ sustainability, enhancing management and the efficiency of services, and promoting sustainable urban development in vulnerable areas.
EU Ambassador to Vietnam, Giorgio Aliberti, said “The devastating events in Central Vietnam demonstrate that adaptation to climate change is crucial for the sustainability of Vietnam’s development, hence it is important to support Vietnam on its pathway towards a resilient future. As the number of city-dwellers grows, urban infrastructure is key to boost resilience. The EU grant will provide technical assistance for building the capacity of the local administration for coordination and communication, developing information and risk prevention systems as well as organizing operations and maintenance. This is fully in line with the EU’s global priorities on sustainable cities”
“This flagship program is perfectly in line with Vietnam’s long term needs and the AFD’s mandate in Vietnam, as our operations aim at supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement, in particular through increasing the resilience of vulnerable cities and territories. The combination of the AFD ODA loan with the EU grant is a key asset for the success of the project, and the sustainability of the urban infrastructure,” Fabrice Richy, AFD Director in Vietnam said.
“Furthermore, regarding the recent events, I would like to join the EU in expressing our sincere condolences to the provinces, their authorities, and the affected populations,” he added.
Vietnam is one of the countries most severely affected by climate change and natural disasters. Rising temperatures and sea levels, and the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, along with population growth and urbanization, are increasing the risk of coastal erosion, urban flooding and drought. Consistent with their international commitments on climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals, the EU and AFD are actively supporting Vietnam in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Translated by Thu Nguyen