WISDOM project meetings with Project Partners in HCMC as well as with MOST, MONRE Vice Minister, Worldbank and GTZ in Hanoi

During a week's visit in Hanoi the WISDOM project coordination lead several talks with Ministries in Hanoi informing about the current status of the WISDOM project, the submitted proposal for a possible extension with a second phase, and ongoing research work and project's progress. WISDOM has the strong support of MOST and MONRE, with Vice Minister Dr. Lai underlining that a key focus must be the user friendliness of the WISDOM Information System, and it simplistic design, so as to not become a 'scientific system ending up in the shelf'. Worldbank has also become aware of the project. Further meetings with WB are currently ongoing to evaluate the potential of single WISDOM scientists to support ongoing Worldbank funded activities in the Mekong Delta. Also a close link has been established with the GTZ projects on coastal protection, active in the Mekong Delta. Joint activities are planned, such as the common presentation of work during MRCs next conference end of April in HCMC, during a joint 'coastal protection day' in Can Tho in October 2010, as well as a GTZ delegation visit including Mekong Delta government officials and scientific experts of Bac Lieu Province at DLR in June.