Ito Naoki, Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam and Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative to Việt Nam sign an agreement to implement the project on strengthening Việt Nam’s capacity for early warning, disaster risk reduction and safe learning environments. VNS Photo Khánh Linh

HÀ NỘI — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Japanese Government on Thursday signed an agreement to implement a project aimed at strengthening Việt Nam’s capacity for early warning, disaster risk reduction and safe learning environments.

The project, with a budget of US$533,000 (approximately VNĐ13.8 billion), is scheduled to run for one year from March 2026 to March 2027, with activities focused in Nghệ An Province.

Nghệ An is a province that frequently suffers from natural disasters. The project’s main objective is to support improvements to near real-time early warning systems for flash floods and landslides in high-risk areas while enhancing the resilience of schools.

Key activities include participatory risk mapping, the development of school-level preparedness and response plans and capacity building for school managers and teachers to ensure that learning is not disrupted by natural disasters.

An estimated 15,000 people are expected to benefit directly from the project, including local communities, students, teachers and school administrators, with many others benefiting indirectly. Lessons learned from the project will serve as a reference for replication in other localities and at national level.

Ito Naoki, Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam delivers an opening remark at the event. VNS Photo Khánh Linh

At the signing ceremony, Ito Naoki, Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam, said that in recent years the impacts of climate change have intensified globally, with Việt Nam among the countries most affected.

“These experiences underscore the importance of improving early warning systems, strengthening disaster risk management and enhancing school safety in order to minimise damage and protect communities,” he said.

Through the project, Japan aims to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacity at both national and local levels while ensuring safe learning environments and the continuity of education in disaster-affected areas.

“By leveraging Japan’s experience and expertise as a country frequently affected by natural disasters, we hope to contribute to strengthening Việt Nam’s disaster resilience. We believe that the signing of this agreement will further enhance disaster management capacity in Việt Nam,” the ambassador added.

He expressed confidence that the project would further strengthen Việt Nam’s disaster risk reduction capacity.

Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative to Việt Nam delivers a speech at the event. VNS Photo Khánh Linh

Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative to Việt Nam, emphasised the need to shift from emergency response to prevention.

He said the project is designed to address needs in a specific and comprehensive manner.

At the provincial level, it will support the review of disaster risk management and emergency response plans, strengthen hazard and risk mapping and enhance real-time monitoring and early warning systems for floods and landslides.

At the communal level, the project will build the capacity of local authorities and frontline technical staff through targeted training on disaster preparedness and emergency response planning, with a particular focus on high-risk areas.

At the community and school levels, the project will promote participatory approaches to risk mapping and response planning, raise risk awareness and support schools and communities in developing practical preparedness and response plans. These efforts aim to ensure that early warning information is clearly understood and that timely action can be taken before, during and after disasters.

Baker said UNESCO looks forward to continuing close cooperation with the Governments of Japan and Việt Nam, as well as Nghệ An Province, to deliver tangible changes and positive impacts on people’s lives during project implementation.

Ngô Lê Văn, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO speaks at the event. VNS Photo Khánh Linh

Meanwhile, Ngô Lê Văn, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO, affirmed that climate change adaptation is a top priority in Việt Nam’s development strategy and national security agenda through 2050.

The signing ceremony reflects strong political commitment translated into concrete action, aimed at delivering direct benefits to communities. Việt Nam will continue to work closely with Japan, UNESCO and relevant partners to ensure effective project implementation and contribute to shared objectives, he said. — VNS