Embassy of Italy in Hanoi – Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, AICS Hanoi –CIMA Research Foundation
JOINT PRESS RELEASE
Hanoi, 23 October 2025 – The closing ceremony of the project “Technical Assistance on Strengthening the Regulatory Framework of the Water Sector: Multi-Basin Real-Time Operations” took place today in the Vietnamese capital. The initiative was funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and implemented by the CIMA Foundation.
The event was attended by H.E. Marco della Seta, Ambassador of Italy to Vietnam; Dr. Margherita Lulli, Head of the AICS Regional Office in Hanoi; Prof. Luca Ferraris, President of the CIMA Research Foundation; and Mr. Chau Tran Vinh Director General of the Department of Water Resources Management at Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, along with representatives from Vietnamese water sector institutions and international partners.
“With this project, Italy has reaffirmed its commitment to working alongside Vietnam in development cooperation, sharing its globally recognized expertise in the sustainable management of water resources — a field in which it boasts proven excellence through actors such as CIMA” stated the Ambassador of Italy to Vietnam.
The initiative contributed to strengthening the regulatory and institutional framework for the sustainable management of water resources in Vietnam, providing technical recommendations and support for coordination among institutions, civil society, the private sector, and development actors. The project promoted an integrated approach to water governance, with particular attention to the impacts of climate change, enhancing early warning systems, flood prevention and control, and the development of decision support systems for basin management.
“The project has guided Vietnam’s water governance towards a more resilient and sustainable management approach, supporting the implementation of the recent Water Law, in line with the country’s ongoing environmental agenda,” commented the Head of Development Cooperation at AICS Hanoi.
The President of the CIMA Foundation, a recognized Italian center of excellence for environmental monitoring, underlined: “Through this initiative — made possible by the Italian System, the scientific contribution of CIMA, and the involvement of the District Basin Authority of the Central Apennines (AUBAC) — innovative and effective tools have been introduced to address the increasingly evident challenges posed by climate change in Vietnam.”
Vietnam, among the countries most exposed to the effects of global warming, has benefited during the two years of project implementation from an intensive exchange of best practices in water management and environmental risk reduction. These activities have strengthened multisectoral coordination, data sharing, and planning capacities within the Vietnamese Government.
The Department of Water Resources Management (DWRM) recognized the project’s positive outcomes, noting that it has offered valuable insights into Italy’s technical and policy best practices. These experiences have supported Vietnam in enhancing its capacity to develop river basin water management scenarios and in strengthening staff expertise. DWRM expressed appreciation for the fruitful cooperation and reaffirmed its commitment to further expanding collaboration in the future.
