Strengthening institutions for sustainable urban development in Vietnam

In celebration of Vietnam Urban Day, on the afternoon of November 8, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Construction organized the Vietnam Urban Sustainable Development Forum 2024 with the theme "Home is where it starts: Strengthening institutions for sustainable urban development in Vietnam".

Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Viet Hung speaks at the event. (Source: Ministry of Construction)

Speaking at the opening of the Forum, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Viet Hung emphasized that Vietnamese cities are increasingly contributing positively to socio-economic development, enhancing the national position with an urbanization rate of about 43.1% and about 902 cities nationwide. Many coastal cities have formed new brands, and the quality of life is increasingly improved.

Thanks to the contribution of urban areas, the size of Vietnam's economy in 2023 will reach 430 billion USD. The average income in urban areas is nearly 1.5 times that of rural areas. The quality of urban life is increasingly improving with marked improvements in the living environment, urban landscape, access to urban technical infrastructure and development opportunities for the community.

However, according to Deputy Minister Nguyen Viet Hung, there are still many limitations that urban development has not completely overcome such as: urbanization is still widespread, urban density is low, not really effective. The quality of urban infrastructure is still a problem, especially for large cities, causing many difficulties in urban life such as pollution, traffic congestion, local flooding, lack of housing, lack of infrastructure, green space, etc. Along with that, the increase in urban land and expansion of urban administrative boundaries in recent times will continue to create challenges in improving and upgrading the quality of urban infrastructure in the coming time.

The Deputy Minister said that this year's World Urban Forum emphasized the context of great pressure on cities in the face of increasingly clear and severe consequences from climate change, extreme weather, environmental risks, constant changes in technology, and from uncontrolled and visionary urbanization.

"With the theme 'Home is where we begin', this Forum wants to convey the message that we all have the responsibility to work together to build safe, peaceful and prosperous places for everyone. In this context, we are more aware of the role and responsibility of cities as the beginning of all successes as well as the fulcrum of all efforts to build global sustainability," Deputy Minister Nguyen Viet Hung emphasized.

Ms. Laura Petrella, Head of Planning, Finance and Economics, UN-Habitat, highly appreciated the strong commitment of the Vietnamese Government in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. This is demonstrated by the Politburo's issuance of Resolution No. 06.

To move towards sustainable urbanization and ensure future urban development, UN-Habitat recommends that Vietnam strengthen urban institutions and policies; address issues such as affordable housing, climate change, urban reconstruction, public transport development, infrastructure development, and public spaces.

Ms. Amal Abdel Kader Almorsi Salama emphasized that Vietnam has the ability to develop a good urban and rural system as well as improve technical and social infrastructure, urban-rural connectivity, rational use of resources and environmental protection... (Source: Ministry of Construction)

According to Egyptian Ambassador to Vietnam Amal Abdel Kader Almorsi Salama, Vietnam has successfully achieved socio-economic development over the past 40 years based on the vision and strategic goals for 2030 and 2045. These developments in Vietnam come from sustainable urban development.

Vietnam has the potential to develop a good urban and rural system as well as improve technical and social infrastructure, urban-rural connectivity, rationally use resources and protect the environment... All of Vietnam's efforts are completely consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ms. Amal Abdel Kader Almorsi Salama emphasized that cities around the world are witnessing unprecedented global challenges, including rapid population growth, climate change, water scarcity, lack of housing supply and the need for adequate financing.

Addressing these challenges requires joint international efforts to find innovative and effective solutions, as well as coordination among parties through sharing knowledge, expertise, etc.

Egypt has always proactively strengthened bilateral cooperation with Vietnam in many fields, especially in urbanization and sustainable urban development, thereby developing society and improving the living standards of people in both countries.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Thomas Gass - Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam said that cities are currently facing serious risks due to increasing population density, high business and infrastructure, mainly in urban areas.

However, cities are also places of great opportunity for innovation, where solutions and plans can be implemented that have a major impact on the environment, people and the economy. In Vietnam, rapidly growing cities are not only important contributors to economic growth but also play a key role in addressing the growing risks of climate change…

By supporting green climate resilience and low-carbon urban development, Mr. Thomas Gass hopes that Switzerland will contribute to making Vietnamese cities more resilient and improving the quality of life for their citizens. In addition, mobilizing the resources needed for the green transition will be key to ensuring that Vietnamese cities can achieve their climate goals.

“Switzerland will continue to support efforts to attract public investment in sustainable infrastructure, while also helping to build the capacity of financial institutions to better manage climate risks,” Mr. Thomas Gass emphasized.

Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass hopes that Switzerland will contribute to making cities in Vietnam more resilient and improving the quality of life for its people. (Source: Ministry of Construction)

Vietnam and Switzerland are currently preparing a new bilateral programme on sustainable urban development. The programme will focus on strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for urban planning, increasing transparency in data sharing to support resilient development, and testing innovative solutions to reduce risks from climate-related disasters.

Switzerland is committed to continuing to support Vietnam in strengthening its urban planning framework, improving transparency and promoting public-private partnerships. Through this cooperation, cities can develop in an inclusive and sustainable manner.

After the plenary opening session, 3 thematic workshops took place within the framework of the Forum. Workshop 1 with the theme "Implementing key policies in sustainable urban development in Vietnam" focused on the following contents: Orientation of policies for sustainable urban development in Vietnam; Summary of urban policies; Effective urban governance models and management tools; State responsibility in urban planning and management...

Workshop 2 with the theme “Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda in Vietnam” focused on discussing the following contents: Challenges in implementing the New Urban Agenda and SDG11; Sustainable Development Goals in Vietnam: Implementation practices and recommendations; Establishing an Advanced Urban Center to implement SDGs and NUA in Vietnam...

Delegates take souvenir photos at the event. (Source: Ministry of Construction)

At Workshop 3 with the theme “Urban adaptation to climate change towards sustainable development”, the following contents were discussed: Applying the sponge city model in urban development - a pilot model in urban areas in the Mekong Delta; Online flood prevention and decision support platform (FEDS) in Ho Chi Minh City; Developing green buildings adapting to climate change in Vietnam...

Vietnam Urban Forum (VUF) was established in 2003 with the consent of the Prime Minister. 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment and development of VUF.

This is an event organized annually by the Ministry of Construction to promote dialogue, cooperation and knowledge exchange among state management agencies, professional social organizations, enterprises, institutes, schools, research, education and training facilities, international development partners and organizations and individuals interested in urban development.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tang-cuong-the-che-phat-trien-do-thi-ben-vung-o-viet-nam-293077.html