WB, Switzerland grant US$5 mil to boost Vietnam sustainable urban development

The US$5 million grant initiative, financed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), also aims to strengthen the ongoing partnership between the Central European nation and the WB in advancing sustainable urban development in Vietnam.

“This grant enables us to support continued dialogue to integrate sustainable practices within the city’s urban planning and economic policies, building a model for climate-resilient, and low-carbon urban development,” said Mariam J. Sherman, country director for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos of the World Bank.

“The funding will deepen our engagement with Vietnam’s largest cities, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Can Tho, as they advance toward a vision of green growth,” he noted.

The Vietnam Accelerating Green and Resilient Growth in Large Cities Single-Donor Trust Fund aims to help large Vietnamese cities grow more sustainably, while simultaneously managing the increasing risks and mitigating the future impacts of climate change.

Under this programme, the WB will develop a knowledge base of technical and operational best practices, drawing on international expertise adapted to the local context in order to provide strategic solutions for urban challenges. The scheme will also help to strengthen policy-making capacity, and support cities and national agencies in mobilising and diversifying financial resources for investment projects, while simultaneously promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing.

“This partnership reflects Switzerland’s commitment to sustainable urban development in Vietnam,” said Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass. 

“By combining Swiss financing with World Bank knowledge, we aim to help Vietnamese cities achieve their green growth objectives while building resilience against climate challenges,” he added.

Switzerland and the WB have been long-term strategic partners in supporting urban development in Vietnam. This initiative therefore seeks to build on previous successful collaborations, including one that established the country’s first flood risk management system in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

The impact of these joint efforts extends beyond the country, shaping the WB’s Sustainable Urban and Regional Development Program and City Resilience Program, both of which are also financed by Switzerland at a global level.