The workshop was attended by representatives from the International Cooperation Department, the Disaster and Dyke Management Authority, the Department of Water Resources, the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development, the Office of Agricultural and Rural Development Coordination (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), the Technical Infrastructure Department (Ministry of Construction), People's Committees of provinces and cities, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Construction, the Department of Planning and Investment of the 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta region; representatives from the Swiss Development Cooperation - Swiss Embassy in Vietnam and the Development Cooperation Office - German Embassy in Hanoi.

Since 2019, the MCRP project has been implemented in the 13 provinces of the Mekong Delta by GIZ Vietnam and the Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development). The project is funded by Switzerland’s economic development cooperation and the Federal Republic of Germany's Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Its objective is to support Vietnam's management agencies in enhancing climate change adaptation in the Mekong Delta region by establishing a framework to promote regional development partnerships and applying innovative and technological solutions in rural and urban areas.

Currently, the MCRP project is being implemented in four main areas: Supporting the establishment of a framework to promote sustainable regional development in the Mekong Delta, adaptable to climate change; Enhancing urban and rural water management planning and investment of the Mekong Delta to adapt to climate change, with a strong emphasis on gender equality; promoting the application of innovative technology solutions in landslide prevention, riverbank and coastal erosion control, and strengthening the climate resilience of rural infrastructure and ecosystems; implementing sustainable urban water drainage and flood control infrastructure solutions to adapt to climate change.

During the workshop, delegates were briefed on the achievements of the MCRP project to date and introduced to the overall plan for the MCRP phase 2. They also heard presentations from MCRP/GIZ representatives on key project areas related to regional coordination mechanisms, urban climate resilience, rural ecosystem and livelihoods (aquaculture), gender mainstreaming, water management, and coastal protection.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development spoke.

Representing the MCRP project management agency, Mr. Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the Mekong Delta is one of the country's economic focal points, but this is also a region facing many challenges due to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. The project is expected to be implemented in a practical and useful manner, suitable to the actual situation in disaster prevention and control work, aiming for sustainable development in the Mekong Delta region.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Jens Schmid-Kreye, Deputy Director of the Development Cooperation Division of the German Embassy in Vietnam emphasized that the MCRP project is an outstanding example of successful cooperation between the German Government and Vietnam. Agencies of Vietnam such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, along with 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta have participated and closely cooperated with the MCRP Project, implementing Technical Cooperation activities, contributing to realizing plans into actions and achieving concrete results, aiming to build a sustainable development strategy and adaptation to climate change for the Mekong Delta region.

Ms. Sibylle Bachmann, Deputy Head of the Cooperation Agency of the Swiss Embassy in Vietnam shared that strengthening climate change adaptation in urban areas is a top priority in Development Cooperation between Switzerland and Vietnam, especially for urban areas in the Mekong Delta region. The challenges of climate change are very complex, requiring coordination mechanisms from all levels of management and government. According to Ms. Sibylle Bachmann, the Workshop for the Implementation Partners of the MCRP project is an important step in strengthening coordination between agencies from the local to central levels. Switzerland is committed to supporting and accompanying Vietnam for a sustainable future, adapting to climate change.