Visit by the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam

Participants at the meeting

On the morning of February 15, 2023, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc He, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee hosted a courtesy call with Mr. Kees van Baar, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam during the Ambassador's trip to the Mekong Delta.

The City leader expressed his acknowledgement to programs and projects from the Netherlands to be carried out in Can Tho, including the Interceptor 003 by The Ocean Cleanup, and some other environmental/ climate change/ water projects of VEI and Blue Deal.

In terms of trade, in 2022, the export turnover of Can Tho companies to the Dutch market was 70.92 million USD, with major products of rice, aquaculture, processed produce, and textile. On the other hand, the import turnover from the Netherlands to Can Tho City was 2.09 million USD, mainly in pharmaceutical raw materials.

The Vice Chairman also informed the Dutch diplomat that in 2023 there would be a delegation led by the Chairman of the City People's Council to visit the Netherlands. The focus of the business trip is the Dutch agro-business models, which Can Tho would like to learn from the Dutch experience, besides logistics and water management.

The two sides agreed on the collaboration for organizing activities marking the 50^th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands in Can Tho City. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc He assigned the Department of External Relations to be the focal point for working with the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City to arrange these activities.

The Dutch Ambassador highly appreciated the cooperation relationship between the Netherlands and Vietnam, including Can Tho City, and believed that this cooperation relationship was growing better than ever. With the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) already in effect, trade activities between the two countries would continue to increase.

Besides Can Tho City, Ambassador Kees van Baar also visited some Dutch companies and projects in provinces of the Mekong Delta during his first trip to the area.