Deputy PM holds bilateral meetings on sidelines of UN 2023 Water Conference
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha had bilateral meetings with many foreign leaders on the sidelines of the UN 2023 Water Conference, which is taking place in New York from March 22-24.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha (L) and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. (Photo: VNA)
New York (VNA) – Deputy Prime MinisterTran Hong Ha had bilateral meetings with many foreign leaders on the sidelines of the UN2023 Water Conference, which is taking place in New York from March 22-24.
In a meeting with King of the Netherlands Willem-AlexanderClaus George Ferdinand, Ha hailed the King's initiatives and efforts in organising andco-hosting the conference, following the first of its kind in 1977.
The Deputy PM expressed his hope that the Dutchroyal family and the King himself will continue supporting the development ofthe Vietnam-Netherlands relations, including the Netherlands’ financial supportand technological transfer to Vietnam in green transition, renewable energy,water resources management and climate change response.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand. (Photo: VNA)
The King, in reply, noted his willingness to assistVietnam in green transition, including the effective use and management ofwater resources.
Ha also met with UN Secretary-General AntónioGuterres, during which the Vietnamese Deputy PM called for more support fromthe UN in technical consultation, know-how, finance and technology, to help Vietnam achieve sustainable development goals(SDGs), respond to climate change and ensure water security.
He also suggested the UN assist Mekong River Basincountries in ensuring the sustainable use and management of water resources andraising climate change response capacity.
For his part, Guterres described Vietnam as an outstandingmodel and a reliable partner of the UN, noting that its progress and strongcommitments to climate change response should be duplicated for other countriesto follow.
The UN will promote the reform ofinternational economic and financial institutions in order to better guaranteeinterests of developing countries, he pledged.
Talking to US Secretary of the InteriorDebra Haaland, Ha suggested the US enhance its support to Vietnam in buildingand managing water resources database and early-warning system, and settling waterissues in the Mekong Delta, while stepping up collaboration in renewableenergy, education and social welfare.
Haaland stressed that the US regards Vietnam as animportant partner in the region, and committed to further helping Vietnam inwater resources management, biodiversity conservation, and education andtraining.
Meeting with Singaporean Minister for Sustainabilityand the Environment Grace Fu, Ha suggested the two sides build a plan on specificcooperation activities, particularly coordination in the implementation of commitments regarding climate change and water, and encourage Singaporean investors inVietnam to use cutting-edge, low-carbon technologies.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and Singaporean Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu. (Photo: VNA)
For her part, Fu congratulated Vietnam on itsachievements, especially its efforts in sustainable development, greentransition and climate change response, and agreed to strengthen cooperation innatural resources management, climate change response and energy transition.
At the meeting with Indian minister of drinking waterand sanitation Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Deputy PM said Vietnam and Indiashould foster cooperation and exchange experience in water resourcesmanagement, climate change response, natural disaster warning, hydrometeorologyand green energy.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and Indian Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Photo: VNA)
Shekhawat expressed his hope that the two sides willeffectively carry out the signed cooperation agreements, especially those relatingto water resources, climate, and natural disaster and flood warning./.
Vietnam’s water demand is likely to reach about 122 billion cu.m each year from 2030, 1.5 times higher than the current amount, which means water shortage may become severe if the country fails to effectively manage the resources, said Deputy Director of the Department of Water Resources Management under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) Nguyen Minh Khuyen.
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has highlighted the need to establish a social ethical standard in relations and behaviours regarding water resources, especially transboundary water, in accordance with the principles of fairness, equality, rationality, and respect for the rights and interests of other countries in river basins.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha (L) and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. (Photo: VNA) 
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand. (Photo: VNA) 
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and Singaporean Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu. (Photo: VNA) 
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and Indian Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Photo: VNA) 
