France seeks collaboration in climate change response in Thai Binh

On the morning of April 10, Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Chairman of the Thai Binh Provincial People's Committee, had a meeting with Mr. Olivier Brochet, the French Ambassador to Vietnam.

At the meeting, Ambassador Olivier Brochet acknowledged a mutual interest between France and Vietnam in sustainable development, especially in environmental protection, climate change response, and biodiversity conservation. These are the fields in which France has strengths, and French businesses also wish to find investment opportunities. On the other hand, France also pays great attention to cultural exchanges and proposes cooperation in developing the cultural industry and innovation.

Sharing about specific activities implemented in Vietnam, Mr. Hervé Conan, Director of the French Development Agency (AFD) in Vietnam, said that AFD has experience participating in the project on irrigation renovation on the Red River, including the component deployed in Thai Binh province. After the Climate Change Conference in Paris, AFD in Vietnam prioritizes all investments in projects related to climate change.

Currently, AFD is working directly with 15 provinces and cities, and it has a total funding of about 500 million euros for projects. The main areas of activity are local support for climate change adaptation; building infrastructure against floods, both in urban and rural areas; preventing coastal landslides and saltwater intrusion; and effective management and exploitation of water resources.

Mr. Hervé Conan proposed to work directly with the province to develop a project proposal in accordance with AFD's criteria, as well as research and evaluate the potential for the application of local climate change response solutions.

The representative of the France-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFV) expressed that French businesses are seeking opportunities for investment in Thai Binh and wish for specific information about potential fields.

Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Manh Hung said that the province is oriented to attract investment for green industries with low carbon emissions and environmental protection. In addition, the province is also making efforts to conserve and promote the biodiversity treasure, typically at the Thai Thuy Wetland Nature Reserve.

The Thai Binh province side welcomes AFD and businesses to discuss opportunities for investment promotion in the province. It is expected that in 2025, the Thai Binh LNG Thermal Power Plant will start. This shows the province's determination to transform energy, providing green and clean energy for production and economic development in the area. The provincial leaders pledged to "walk the talk" and will create favorable conditions for the French side to expand direct investment in Thai Binh. In the immediate future, the sub-departments and branches will be assigned to research and propose specific cooperation content.

At the meeting, the two sides exchanged more about a number of potential cooperation fields of economics, culture, education, and labor resource quality improvement, and expected to organize meetings between relevant agencies in the near future.