EU, AFD finance climate-resilient urban infrastructure in north-central VN

The Vietnamese Government, the European Union and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) sign financing agreements on a new joint project, “Climate-Resilient Urban Infrastructure in north-central Viet Nam” (CRUIV), December 1, 2020.

The Vietnamese Government, the EU and AFD on December 1 signed financing agreements on a new joint project, “Climate-Resilient Urban Infrastructure in north-central Viet Nam” (CRUIV), with an aim to decrease the vulnerability of five cities to climate hazards.

Jointly co-financed with a EUR 5 million grant from the EU, a EUR 123 million Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the AFD and EUR 28 million provincial budgets, the CRUIV project will benefit five secondary cities of the north-central region of Viet Nam: Phat Diem in Ninh Binh Province, Ngoc Lac in Thanh Hoa Province, Hoang Mai in Nghe An Province, Huong Khe and Thach Ha in Ha Tinh Province.

Central Viet Nam has a history of exposure to meteorological hazards. These last two months have been particularly critical, with consecutive tropical storms and typhoons. 

The impacts of these natural disasters have been dramatic. In a context of climate change, extreme weather events could increase in intensity and frequency.

In order to respond to the challenges linked to climate change, the CRUIV project responds to an urgent need for climate adaptation and is part of the necessary long-term investments for vulnerable territories, to improve their climate resilience, prevent damages and save lives and resources.

The CRUIV project heads to strengthen the safety and security of the persons and limit the material losses triggered by the floods, thanks to the improvement of flood prevention infrastructures such as drainage systems and dykes. 

It also aims at improving the roads, in particular the ones used for evacuation or rescue, developing the waste water collection and treatment to improve the local environment and at further reinforcing local institutional capacities.

Viet Nam is one of the countries most severely affected by climate change and its related disasters. Rising temperatures and sea levels, increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, combined with demographic growth and urbanization, increase the risk of coastal erosion, urban floods and droughts. 

In line with their international commitment for the climate and for sustainable development, the European Union and AFD actively support Viet Nam in the field of climate adaptation.

By Thuy Dung