On May 22nd, 2025, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam (MOC) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) held a Project agreement signing ceremony “Vietnam - Switzerland Urban Development Program”, aimed to support Vietnamese cities in enhancing climate change resilience and sustainable urban development.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, on behalf of the leaders of the Ministry of Construction, Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van emphasized that sustainable urban management and development is one of the issues that the Party and State of Vietnam pay special attention to and have issued many important policies, including Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2022 of the Politburo on urban planning, construction, management and sustainable development to 2030, with a vision to 2045; Conclusion 127-KL/TW dated February 28, 2025 of the Politburo on implementing research and proposing to continue to reorganize the apparatus of the political system.
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Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van and Ambassador Thomas Gass signed and exchanged the Agreement.
According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van, the context of merging administrative units will pose new requirements for urban models, ways to promote urban economic development, the synchronization of the legal system related to urban management and development, the connection of urban networks, etc. Therefore, the program would help Vietnam to shape a more efficient urban management model, linked to the two-tier local government system, iultimately enhancing urban planning and sustainable growth.
Appreciating the support and cooperation of SECO with the Ministry of Construction over the years, Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van believes that the cooperation between the two sides in the field of urban management and development will increasingly develop and achieve many successes in the future.
Overview of Ceremony.
After signing the Agreement, the Ministry of Construction will assist the Urban Development Department and relevant units of the Ministry to urgently implement the project according to the schedule.
Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass highlighted Switzerland’s commitment to promoting integrated urban planning, strengthening governance, and fostering innovative solutions to address urban management challenges in Vietnam.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van and Ambassador Thomas Gass took a photo at the Ceremony.
Accordingly, the Vietnam-Switzerland Urban Development Programme will assist the MoC in implementing national urban planning policies, improving the legal framework, and enhancing coordination between central and local management agencies. It will also support pilot projects in selected cities, integrating climate resilience into their urban development strategies.
Set to run from 2025 to 2030, the Program reinforces Switzerland's long-term support for Vietnam’s urban sector, while advancing shared commiments to climate action and economic cooperation.