Hanoi – A week of activities dedicated to strengthening cooperation between Italy and Vietnam in the field of integrated water resource management has concluded. This initiative is part of the project “Technical Assistance on Strengthening the Water Sector Regulatory Framework: Real-Time Multi-Basin Operations in Vietnam” 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 Research Foundation in collaboration with the Department of Water Resources Management (DWRM) of Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE).
The project, launched in 2023, culminated in a week-long institutional visit from October 20 to 24 by the CIMA Foundation delegation, led by its President, Prof. Luca Ferraris, in Hanoi.
During meetings with the Italian Embassy and AICS Hanoi, the delegation shared key results and best practices from the project, while exploring future collaboration opportunities in Vietnam’s water and environmental sectors.
In the following days, CIMA participated in a series of technical meetings and activities, including: an institutional visit to DWRM, featuring a training session for staff on the seasonal forecasting system myDewetra for water resource management in the Dong Nai basin; a joint visit to the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority and the Vietnam Academy for Water Resources (VAWR), aimed at identifying new areas for scientific and technical cooperation.
On October 23, the final project workshop titled “National Dialogue on Integrated Water Resource Management” was held in the Vietnamese capital. The event brought together representatives from the MAE, Vietnamese institutions, academics, international partners, and key personnel from AICS Hanoi and the CIMA Foundation.
The workshop served as a valuable platform for dialogue on inter-watershed integrated water resource management (IWRM), addressing topics such as the implementation of the new Water Resources Law (2023), the development and strengthening of River Basin Authorities (RBAs), the application of seasonal forecasting systems, and enhanced multisectoral coordination across water, environment, and disaster risk management sectors.
During the workshop, the Vietnamese partners expressed deep appreciation for Italy’s technical and scientific contributions in promoting innovative tools for sustainable water governance, reaffirming strong interest in continuing collaboration with CIMA and AICS. This partnership further solidifies Italy’s role as a strategic ally of Vietnam in sustainable water resource management and climate resilience building.
