CAN THO, VIETNAM Enhancing Urban Resilience JUNE 2014 Note to the Reader an Tho is a dynamically growing Ccity that faces multiple threats to achieving its development goals— seasonal flooding, sea-level rise, potential land subsidence, and rapid THE RESILIENT CITIES PROGRAM was launched by the World Bank urbanization. In June 2014, Can Tho Group in December 2013 to help cities strengthen their ability to invited a team of specialists from prepare for and adapt to changing conditions, and to withstand and the World Bank Group to implement recover rapidly from disruptions related to climate change, natural the CityStrength Diagnostic in close disasters, and other shocks and stresses. The Program serves as collaboration with local officials, an umbrella for delivering the analysis, rationale, and support local technical staff, and stakeholders. The governments need to make resilience part of their urban management objective of this publication is to share agendas. the findings of the Diagnostic and the priority actions and investments THE CITYSTRENGTH DIAGNOSTIC was developed as a means of agreed with local leaders. engaging with cities on the complex issue of resilience by using a holistic approach to identifying priority actions and investments to Designed to be accessible to a broad audience, this publication presents the most relevant and strengthen urban systems. Designed to be implemented by sectoral actionable information that emerged from the diagnostic process. Although the implementation specialists, the rapid diagnostic process draws upon ideas and data of CityStrength in Can Tho leveraged a substantial collection of studies, research, and plans from a multitude of existing tools. A longer-term goal of CityStrength prepared by multiple development partners, this publication does not go into detail on each. is to promote alignment in approaches to urban resilience to Where applicable, those studies are highlighted within this text and readers are invited to seek improve awareness of resilience considerations among local leaders out the original files for more in-depth information (see Resources on Can Tho at the end of this and development partners. Financial and technical support for the publication). development of the Diagnostic was provided by the Global Facility for CityStrength is an interview-based methodology; as such, a significant portion of the findings Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). captured in this publication are based on statements made by local officials and stakeholders during the launch workshop that drew over 90 participants, some 30 individual and group interviews, and field visits. In some cases, especially those that are of a contestable nature, statements are attributed to specific departments or organizations in Can Tho. © 2014 Global Practice on Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience The World Bank Group 1818 H Street NW Washington, DC 20433 USA www.worldbank.org/urban Acknowledgements Mr. Ky Quang Vinh Mr. Huy Nguyen Mrs. Bui Le Phi From Can Tho City: Director, Climate Change Coordination Office Technical staff, Institute for Social and Environmental Director, Department of Health Transition (ISET) Vietnam The World Bank team would like to acknowledge the Ms. Thuy participation of the Can Tho City government and civil Mr. Nguyen Thanh Xuan society in implementing the CityStrength Diagnostic, Deputy Director, Department of Planning and Director, Department of Labour, War Invalids and Investment From The World Bank: including: Social Affairs The World Bank team that undertook the Mr. Le Hung Dung Mr. Nguyen Trung Nhan Ms. Hue implementation of the CityStrength Diagnostic in Can Chairman, Can Tho City People’s Committee Director, Department of Information and Deputy Director, Department of Finance Tho included: Communications Mr. Le Van Tam Ms. Dzung Hoa Thi Hoang Vice Chairman, Can Tho City People’s Committee Mr. Pham the Vinh Deputy Head, Budget Division – Department of Senior Urban Specialist, Task Team Leader Director, Department of Foreign Affairs Finance Mrs. Vo Thi Hong Anh Catherine Lynch Senior Urban Specialist, CityStrength Coordinator Vice Chairwoman, Can Tho City People’s Committee Mr. Tran Thanh Be Ms. Thao Director, Social and Economic Institute Technical Staff, Department of Planning and Stephen Hammer Mr. Nguyen Van Hong Investment Lead Urban Specialist Director, Department of Planning and Investment Mr. Nguyen Ky Nam LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS Director, Institute of Planning and Architecture Hoa Thi Mong Pham Mr. Nguyen Tan Duoc Mr. Vo Hung Dung Senior Social Specialist Mr. Nguyen Khanh Tung Director, Department of Construction Director, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Director, Center of Investment Promotion of Trading Margaret Arnold Senior Social Specialist Mr. Mai Nhu Toan and Tourism Mr. Nguyen Thi Thuong Linh Vice Director, Department of Construction Vice Director, Can Tho Branch of Chamber of Mr. Vo Thanh Hung Van Anh Thi Tran Commerce and Industry Mr. Nguyen Quang Nghi Head, Export Processing and Industrial Zones Senior Transport Specialist Chief of Office, Can Tho City People’s Committee Management Unit Mr. HuynhTien Dung Roger Gorham Chairman, Can Tho Red Cross Association Transport Economist Mrs. Vu Thi Canh Mr. Vo Van Chinh Director, Department of Finance Chairman, Ninh Kieu District People’s Committee Mrs. Phan Thi Hong Nhung Marc Forni Chairwoman, The Women’s Union Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist Mr. Pham Viet Trung Mr. Le Tam Niem Director, Department of Home Affairs Chairman, Binh Thuy District People’s Committee Mrs. Bui Thi Hong Nga Dzung Huy Nguyen Disaster Risk Management Specialist Founder, Can Tho Association of People with Mr. Mai Hong Chau Mr. Pham Van Quynh Disabilities Director, Department of Agriculture and Rural Chairman, Cai Rang District People’s Committee Pavel Kochanov Senior Municipal Finance Specialist Development Ms. Huynh Ngoc Hong Nhung Mr. Nguyen Hoang Ba Vice President, Can Tho Association of People with James Newman Mr. Nguyen Minh Toai Chairman, Phong Dien District People’s Committee Disabilities Operations Specialist Director, Department of Industry and Trade Mr. Phan Thanh Tien Mr. Ha Thanh Toan Iain Menzies Rector, Can Tho University Mr. Tran Viet Phuong Director, Can Tho Port Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist Director, Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Mr. Nguyen Van Sanh Mr. Le Van Thong Ifeta Smajic Dragon Institute – Can Tho University Mr. Nguyen Van Su Director, Can Tho Development and Investment Fund Urban Development Consultant Director, Department of Natural Resources and Mr. Le Van Banh Mr. Huynh Thanh Su Astrid Westerlind Wigstrom Environment Director, The Mekong Delta Rice Institute Vice Director, PMU Mekong Delta Region Urban Climate Change Adaptation Consultant Mr. Tran Ngoc Nguyen Upgrading Project Can Tho City Sub-project Mr. Stephen Tyler Sheena Yoon Director, Department of Science and Technology Senior Advisor, Institute for Social and Environmental Information Designer Mr. Le Van Tien Transition (ISET) Vietnam Mr. Lu Thanh Dong Director, PMU Can Tho Urban Upgrading Director, Department of Transport Letter from the Chairman Can Tho is the engine of growth of the Mekong Delta. With a concentration of industries, educational institutions, health facilities, and science and technology research organizations, we are poised to achieve our 2020 goal of becoming a modern city that contributes to the development of Vietnam and growth of the South East Asia region. Given this important role, we need to ensure that we address the threats to our future success. We need to take proactive measures to deal with recurrent flooding, the pressures of rapid urbanization, and the anticipated impacts of climate change to ensure that we reap the benefits of economic growth in a safe, sustainable, and inclusive way. In short, we need to become more resilient. Becoming more resilient will require strengthened urban management capacity and better coordination and sharing of information across departments. And it will also require continued investment in urban infrastructure like flood protection, transport, and sanitation. This will be a long-term journey, and the implementation of the World Bank’s CityStrength Diagnostic represents just one milestone. We are inviting the World Bank and other development organizations to join us in a long-term partnership to strengthen Can Tho and make it an even better place to live, work, and enjoy the natural beauty of the Mekong Delta. Mr. Le Hung Dung Chairman, Can Tho City People’s Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 8-11 What is a Resilient City? 12-15 CityStrength Diagnostic Methodology 16-17 About Can Tho City 18-25 Key Challenges in Can Tho 26-27 Findings of the CityStrength Diagnostic 28-67 Urban Planning and Development 30-35 Municipal Finance 36-39 Disaster Risk Management and Climate 40-45 Community and Social Protection 46-51 Energy 52-55 Transportation 56- 61 Water and Sanitation 62-67 Priority Actions and Investments 68-73 Immediate Measures 74-75 Resources on Can Tho 76-79 Executive Summary ities are vulnerable to many types of shocks Tho, efforts to promote greater resilience must Priority Actions Cand stresses, including natural hazards like be closely aligned with its long-term goals of Strengthen institutional capacity and legislative storms and sea level rise, but also man-made economic growth and modernization. frameworks for an effective integrated flood ones like economic transformation and rapid To identify the bundle of actions and investments