In the afternoon of 1^st November in Vung Tau City, Vietnam Water Supply Association (VWSA) and Water Management Program (WMP) of German Society For International Cooperation (GIZ) and German Water Partnership (GWP) held “The kick-off Workshop among GIZ – GWP – VWSA cooperation for Vietnamese –German competence connection in water sector”. This is one the positive activities to commemorate the 40^th Anniversary of establishing diplomatic relation between Vietnam and Germany.

At the workshop, the signing ceremony of three important cooperation agreements among units of both Governments are been taken place

The participants of the workshop included Dr. Gunther Adler - Minister of State of FRG, Mr. Olaf Malchow, Deputy Consulate General of FRG in Ho Chi Minh City representing the Government of Federal Republic of German (FRG); Ms. Phan Thi My Linh - Deputy Minister of Construction, Mr. Cao Lai Quang - Chairman of VWSA - Former Deputy Minister of Construction, Mr. Nguyen Hong Linh - Alternate Member of the Party’s Central Committee - Party Committee Secretary of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen - Standing Deputy Committee Secretary of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tinh - Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province and representatives of the leaders of major water supply and drainage enterprises in regions of both Vietnam and Germany.

 At the workshop, the representatives of the Governments, organizations and Associations of the two countries highlighted the cooperation effectiveness between both countries in the water sector for last time.

Mr. Olaf Malchow, Deputy Consulate General of FRG in Ho Chi Minh City affirmed: "Vietnam is a strategic and key partner of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Federal Republic of Germany is currently the country providing the highest ODA funds for Vietnam in the EU community. Up to 2014, with ODA funds, the German Government provided Vietnam with over 1.5 billion Euros to effectively invest in three main fields: vocational training, environment, coping with climate change and energy. The Deputy Consulate General in HCMC emphasized that: "2015 is the year when Germany and Vietnam commemorate 40^th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relation and commemorate the milestones that the Government and people of both countries have established and maintained. Regarding the development cooperation, the German government has constantly supported Vietnam in vocational training, energy and environment. The support of German Government and people has significantly contributed to the sustainable development of Vietnam with three objectives: economy, society and environment. On 29^th April 2013, the Federal Ministry of Economy and Development Cooperation BMZ decided to approve a three-year project with the title: "DEVIWAS" through SEQUA and assigned GWP to carry out. VWSA is the beneficiary of this project. This workshop is not only a significant milestone opening a series of cooperative activities of the parties in the future towards Vietnam water sector with long-term and sustainable development but also an event contributing to honoring 40 years of diplomatic relation of both countries ... "

Speaking at the workshop, Ms. Phan Thi My Linh, Deputy Minister of Construction said that:” The urban population of Vietnam is ranked the 6^th in the East Asia with about 23 million people. In recent years, the urban development has strongly impacted on the economic - social development, creating millions of jobs for employees, contributing an important part in maintaining the stability and development of the whole society. However, the rapid development of the urban system has caused great pressure to the construction and development of technical infrastructure including the urban water supply and drainage. Through GIZ, the German Government has helped the Vietnamese Government in preparing legal documents, policies and directions relating to drainage and wastewater treatment in order to gradually contribute to completing the institutional synchronization in this sector for over 10 years (2005-2015).”

Besides assisting in the establishment of mechanisms and policies, the German Government also supported Vietnam in the programs and projects on developing urban areas to become friendly to environment and climate; Program of wastewater and solid waste management in the provinces of Vietnam; Project of drainage and flood prevention in urban areas with medium scale in coastal plains of Vietnam ...

The Deputy Minister of Construction, Ms. Phan Thi My Linh emphasized that: "The friendship between Vietnam and Germany had a considerable development through summit missions which have become the annual events and the latest mission was the date when Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung - Prime Minister visited Germany (in September, 2014) and Germany has become the most important economic partner of Vietnam in the European Union (EU) for many years. "The Kick-off workshop between GIZ – GWP – VWSA cooperation for Vietnamese –German competence connection in water sector" is an important event opening the potential and important cooperation activities of the parties in the future, especially in the field of training to improve the management capacity, vocational training for drainage sector towards the water sector with sustainable and stable development in Vietnam ... I hope the Federal Republic of Germany will share, support and cooperate with us more and more in the future".

The presentations at the workshop expressed the determination of the organizations and associations which are implementing projects of policy improvement and capacity development in a sustainable way for drainage sector and wastewater treatment; effective support for the process of technology transfer ... in Vietnam. Particularly, the representatives of GIZ and GWP desired to be coordinated with VWSA in implementing the activities in order to improve the competence and promote their roles as a link between the members and the state management agencies, particularly in major fields such as training to improve the competence, transferring technology to contribute to institutional building and raising awareness of people about environmental issues.

Currently, Vietnam in general and BR-VT province in particular have been actively coordinating with Germany unit to promote the establishment of Vietnam water competence Centre (WCC) in BR-VT province with the support of the German Government. Accordingly, the German Government will support tools, techniques, training programs, teaching methods, visits for learning experience... including the training and development for initial stage’s human resources of 20 trainers to serve the activities of the WCC.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tinh, Vice Chairman of the PPC expressed: "We expect that the establishment of the WCC in Vung Tau will continue to promote specialized activities in the field of drainage and water sector between the Vietnamese - German Governments. In addition to promising to open great opportunities for both countries in the development of the water sector, especially for Vietnam - a country has been facing with significant challenges in the protection and development of water resources, climate change, the establishment of this center also accelerates the goal of improving the status of water sector to businesses and authorities in Vietnam, especially in BR-VT province. With responsibility of local authorities, we affirm to continue to support as well as to facilitate BUSADCO and their partners to complete the necessary administrative and legal procedures in order to accelerate the development and expansion of WCC in Vung Tau as well as its effective operation in the future."

The signing ceremony of three important cooperation agreements between the two countries' units including: Memorandum of Cooperation among GWP- DEVIWAS and Academy of Managers for Construction and Cities; Memorandum of cooperation among GWP/ DEVIWAS, VWSA and Tilia GMBH of Germany; Memorandum of cooperation between BUSADCO and SEDD- the Federal Republic of Germany with the witness of representative government officials of both countries.