From 20 to 23 April 2026, the Blue Dragon Programme (Blue Deal's Vietnam partnership), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City and the Can Tho Irrigation Department, successfully organised the fifth week of Pool 4 training on climate change adaptation.
The event brought together more than 20 officials from An Giang Province and Can Tho City, alongside students from Can Tho University. Technical guidance was provided by two experts from Hollands Noorderkwartier Water Authority, Mrs Anet Labans and Ms Denise Winters, as well as Dr Dinh Diep Anh Tuan from the Mekong Institute at Can Tho University.
During this last week of training the Dutch experts synthesised the content of the previous four training weeks and shared practical lessons on resilient urban planning and Nature-based Solutions applied in the Netherlands. The programme also featured a presentation by Dr. Dinh Diep Anh Tuan on the urban flooding challenges facing Can Tho City, as well as an overview of the socio-economic context of Binh Thuy Ward, one of the city’s flood-prone areas.
The training programme concluded successfully, translating the expertise of Dutch and Vietnamese specialists into concrete outputs. The most significant results were detailed action plans to address land subsidence in the U Minh Thuong area of An Giang Province and an urban flood adaptation plan for Binh Thuy Ward in Can Tho City.
In addition, the event provided a valuable platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange between local authorities and technical experts, laying the groundwork for future cooperation on climate adaptation and resilience.