CanTho (VNA) – The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho hopes to receivesupport from the World Bank (WB) and the StateSecretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of Switzerland in institutional building,renovation, development of smart city, climate change adaption, and traininghuman resources, said Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le QuangManh on October 7.

During a working session in the province to discuss potential partnershipprogrammes on economics, trade and urban management between Can Tho and the twoagencies, Manh said the city wants to learn from experience and good models inthe world in administrative reform, and to perfect policies through theassistance of the WB and the SECO.

Municipalauthorities are focusing on promoting economic restructuring and improving qualityand competitiveness for its farm produce in regional and global markets throughbuilding key production areas and applying high technologies, and fully tappinglocal resources, he said.

He added that the city hopes the WB will assist in expanding markets for thelocality’s agricultural products, applying new technologies in agricultural productionand building brands for farm produce and goods, and accessing ordinary capitalresources (OCR).

Ousmane Dione, Country Director of the WB in Vietnam, praised the city’s economicgrowth as well as transition from a rural economy to an urban economy, sayingthat the WB's expert group will work with local officials and technical staffto determine investment priorities and appropriate areas to serve Can Tho’s socio-economicdevelopment goals.

Accordingly, the WB suggested Can Tho participate in technical assistanceprojects to enhance agricultural competitiveness and hi-tech agriculturaltechnical assistance.

The bank will also support the city in calling for and attracting corporationsand enterprises to invest in production, processing and consumption of localagricultural and aquatic products; connecting businesses with cooperatives andhouseholds in the production and consumption of products.

Regardinghuman resources training, the WB is ready to help higher education institutionsin Can Tho collaborate with foreign universities to expand education related toknowledge of artificial intelligence trends to apply to the e-government model.

For his part, Chief Representative of SECO in Vietnam Marcel Reymond said the Switzerlandwill assist Can Tho in urban development in a sustainable and highly adaptablemanner to climate change in Vietnam.
 
Theofficial said he hopes that through the budget support programmes from the SECOand the WB, Can Tho will play a leading role in enhancing urban resilience andscaling up models of natural disaster response to other localities in theMekong Delta./.